i 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


...u oak. 32   T  action.  .21 


AMERICAN    POULTRY  CULTURE 


AMERICAN 
POULTRY  CULTURE 


A  COMPLETE  HAND  BOOK  OF  PRACTICAL  AND 
PROFITABLE  POULTRY  KEEPING  FOR  THE  GREAT 
ARMY  OF  BEGINNERS  AND  SMALL  BREEDERS 


BY 

R.  B.  SANDO 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW    YORK 

THE    OUTING   PUBLISHING   COMPANY 
MCMIX 


Copyright,  1909,  by 
THE   OUTING   PUBLISHING   COMPANY 


Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London,  England 
All  Rights  Reserved 


INTRODUCTORY 

THE  object  of  this  volume  is  to  furnish 
reliable  and  practical  information  on  the 
profitable  care  and  management  of  poul- 
try.   I  have  endeavored  to  take  the  reader,  presum- 
ably a  beginner,  into  the  field  of  practical  poultry 
work,  telling  him  what  to  do,  and  how  and  when 
to  do  it. 

I  have  catered  especially  to  those  who  desire  to 
keep  only  a  small  flock  of  fowls  for  pleasure  or 
profit,  but  most  of  the  matter  contained  herein  will 
also  apply  to  poultry  keeping  on  a  more  extensive 
scale. 

In  order  to  make  this  treatise  as  brief  and  yet  as 
comprehensive  as  possible,  everything  of  a  theoreti- 
cal or  imaginative  nature  has  been  omitted,  as  well 
as  all  unnecessary  things.  I  have  made  use  of  only 
valuable  and  practical  facts,  which  are  the  result 
of  my  personal  experience  in  the  handling  of  fowls 
on  both  a  large  and  a  small  scale.  This  is,  essen- 
tially, a  business  book  for  busy  people. 

R.  B.  SANDO. 

POTSDAM,  OHIO,  1908. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  Poultry  Keeping  and  Poultry  Keepers  .         .       3 

II.  Poultry  House  Construction         .         .         .19 

III.  Plans  and  Specifications  of  Modern  Poultry 

Houses 33 

IV.  Poultry  Yarding  and  Fencing      .         .         .45 
V.  Poultry  Fixtures          .         .         .         •         •     57 

VI.  Incubators  and  Brooders      .         .         .         .71 

VII.  Breeds  Described 81 

VIII.  Selecting  a  Breed — Getting  a  Start      .         .103 

IX.  Foods  and  Feeding 119 

X.  Hatching  and  Rearing  Chicks      .         .         .149 

XL  Rearing  Chicks  After  Brooding  Age     .         .169 

XII.  The  Fancy 181 

XIII.  General  Information    .         .         .         .         .195 

XIV.  The  Seasons  as  Affecting  Poultry  Keeping     .215 
XV.  Parasites  and  Diseases  of  Poultry        .        .235 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Dark  Brahma  Male      .     .         .         .         .        Frontispiece 

Continuous  piano-box  poultry  house,  in  course  of 
construction  and  its  completed  state  Facing  page  6 

A  game  of  seesaw     .         .         .         .         Facing  page     12 

The  colony  system  of  housing  poultry  in  practical 
use  .  .  .  .  .  .  Facing  page  40 

The  type  of  outdoor  brooder  in  most  successful  use  on 

the  author's  poultry  plant    .         .         Facing  page    76 

Modern  continuous  house,  No.  i — Modern  continuous 
house,  No.  2 — Modern  continuous  house,  No.  3 — 
A  poultry  house  behind  the  times.  Between  pages  36-37 

A  nest  perfectly  satisfactory  to  both  hen  and  attendant. 
Made  from  a  grocery  box  costing  five  cents — A 
simple  and  satisfactory  roost — Hennery  outfit  with 
slanting  droppings  platform — Hennery  outfit  with 
horizontal  droppings  platform — Drinking  fountain 
and  home-made  self-feeding  hopper — A  "wall" 
drinking  fountain  and  a  boughten  self-feeding 
hopper  made  of  galvanized  iron.  Between  pages  68-69 

vii 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Barred  Plymouth  Rock,  male — Barred  Plymouth  Rock, 
female — White  Wyandotte,  male  and  female — 
White  Plymouth  Rock,  male  and  female—  Buff 
Plymouth  Rock,  male— Buff  Plymouth  Rock, 
female— Buff  Wyandotte,  male— Buff  Wyandotte, 
female — Silver  Laced  Wyandotte,  male — Silver 
Laced  Wyandotte,  female — Columbian  Wyandotte, 
male — Columbian  Wyandotte,  female — Rose  Comb 
Rhode  Island  Red,  Male— Single  Comb  Rhode 
Island  Red,  female — Light  Brahma,  male  and 
female — Black  Langshan,  male  and  female — Rose 
Comb  Black  Minorca,  male — Dark  Brahma,  female 
— Buff  Cochin,  male — Buff  Cochin,  female — Buff 
Leghorn,  male — Buff  Leghorn,  female — Black  Leg- 
horn, male — Black  Leghorn,  female — Single  Comb 
White  Leghorn,  male — Single  Comb  White  Leg- 
horn, female — Single  Comb  Black  Minorca,  male — 
Single  Comb  Black  Minorca,  female — Silver  Span- 
gled Hamburg,  female — Silver  Spangled  Hamburg, 
male — Houdan,  male — Houdan,  female — Buff  Or- 
pington, male — Buff  Orpington,  female — Cornish 
Indian  Game.  .  .  .  Between  pages  84-85 

Coop  No.  i  for  old  hen  and  chicks        .  Facing  page  160 

Bone  Grinder "          "162 

Fertile  Egg "      162 

Egg  Tester "         "162 

Coop  No.  2  for  hen  and  chicks         .  "         "      162 

Chick  shelter,  No.  i    .         .         .         .  "          "      164 
Chick  shelter,  No.  2.  Same  as  No.  3  except  arrangement 

of  roof         .         .         .         .         .  Facing  page  164 

viii 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Chick  shelter  No.  3,  with  storm  screens  and  roof  re- 
moved to  show  construction  of  shelter.  Facing  page  166 
Chick   shelter   No.   3,   with   muslin    storm    screens   in 

place  ,         ,         ...         Facing  page  \  66 

A  roosting  coop  for  chicks  after  weaning         "          "      172 
Practical  small  roosting  coop  in  use      .  "          "      176 

The  same  coop  with  hood  thrown  back  "         "      176 

Practical  small   roosting  coops  made  of   single  piano 

boxes          .         .         .         .         .         Facing  page  178 
Nomenclature  Diagram  of  fowl  .  "         "      254 

Plan  for  continuous  poultry  house         .  "         "      256 

Style  of  entry  card  generally  used  in  poultry  shows 

Facing  page  257 
Reverse  side  of  entry  card   .         .         .  "         "258 


IX 


POULTRY   KEEPING   AND   POULTRY 
KEEPERS 


American  Poultry  Culture 

CHAPTER   I 

POULTRY  KEEPING  AND   POULTRY  KEEPERS 

A*  MOST  every  man  is  interested  in  reducing 
the  living  expenses  of  his  family.  One 
way  of  doing  so  is  by  keeping  a  small 
flock  of  chickens  to  supply  the  family  table  with 
eggs  and  meat.  My  own  start  in  the  poultry 
The  Family  business  was  made  with  a  few  hens 
Flock  on  a  back-yard  lot,  and  I  know  from 

experience  that  home  chickens  are  money-savers. 

Counting  the  cost  of  feed  alone,  I  found  that  we 
could  produce  our  own  eggs  and  chickens  at  a  cost 
not  to  exceed  one-half  of  that  which  we  had  been 
accustomed  to  paying  on  the  market.  Situated  as 
we  were,  this  was  a  decided  advantage  over  buy- 
ing, and  this  would  probably  hold  true  with  every 
case  where  the  little  time  required  for  the  care  of 
a  small  flock  would  only  be  utilizing  that  which 
would  otherwise  very  probably  be  wasted  or  un- 
profitably  spent. 

Does  It  Pay?  Some  people  seem  to  have  the 
idea  that  their  time  is  too  valuable  to  look  after 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

even  just  a  few  chickens,  but  it  is  a  fact  that 
every  business  man  must  have  a  brief  intermis- 
sion from  business  and  business  cares  each  day, 
and  during  this  time  some  sort  of  a  recreation  or 
pastime  differing  greatly  from  that  of  his  other 
business  is  very  desirable.  The  business  and  pro- 
fessional life  of  the  average  American  citizen  is  so 
strenuous  that  if  not  "  eased  up  "  by  some  side-line, 
recreation  or  hobby  it  burns  up  vitality  at  too  rapid 
a  rate.  As  a  means  of  recreation  for  body  and 
mind,  by  healthful  and  profitable  outdoor  employ- 
ment, the  breeding  of  good  poultry  is  supreme. 

Aside  from  the  matter  of  profit,  the  pleasure  of 
having  a  nice,  tender  chicken  whenever  desired  and 
eggs  that  are  strictly  fresh  at  all  times,  is  quite  an 
item;  while  if  standard-bred  stock  are  kept,  there 
are  many  other  pleasures  and  benefits  peculiar  to 
that  branch,  which  will  be  discussed  later. 

Feeding.  Any  one  who  has  a  little  yard  room 
and  no  chickens,  is  not  living  up  to  his  opportuni- 
ties. The  cost  of  keeping  such  a  flock  is  less  than 
one  would  suspect  on  first  thought,  because  the 
fowls  will  utilize  all  the  scraps  and  refuse  material 
from  the  kitchen  and  table,  which  would  other- 
wise go  to  waste,  and  they  enable  one  to  get  back 
on  his  table  this  waste  material  in  the  form  of  good 
fresh  eggs  and  juicy  fowl. 

There  is  no  better  feed  for  poultry  than  table 
scraps,  and  most  families  have  enough  of  this  ma- 

4 


POULTRY   KEEPING   AND    KEEPERS 

terial  to  constitute  a  large  part  of  the  food  neces- 
sary to  maintain  enough  chickens  to  keep  them 
supplied  with  eggs  and  poultry  meat.  Sometimes, 
too,  there  are  neighbors  who  will  be  only  too  glad 
to  have  their  waste  collected  for  this  purpose. 
Parings  of  all  kinds  of  vegetables,  refuse  leaves  of 
cabbage  and  lettuce,  onion  tops,  small  potatoes, 
stale  bread  crusts,  and  all  such  things  which  are 
usually  wasted,  may  well  be  utilized  in  this  connec- 
tion and  will  be  found  to  give  every  bit  as  good 
results  as  would  higher-priced  materials. 

Housing.  Nothing  expensive  or  elaborate  is 
necessary  in  the  way  of  a  house  for  a  small  back- 
yard flock  of  hens,  although,  of  course,  a  nice 
house  will  add  to  the  attractiveness  of  the  place; 
but  that  makes  no  difference  to  the  hens,  so 
long  as  the  homely-appearing  house  is  comfortable. 
A  building  ought  to  contain  at  least  one  hundred 
square  feet  of  floor  space  to  comfortably  house  a 
dozen  to  fifteen  hens,  and  ought  not  to  cost  more 
than  ten  dollars  to  twenty  dollars,  especially  since 
waste  material  can  often  be  utilized  in  its  con- 
struction. 

A  piano-box  poultry  house  (that  is,  a  house 
made  by  joining  together  two  piano  boxes)  makes 
a  very  serviceable  and  very  cheap  house  for  this 
number  of  fowls;  in  fact,  as  a  general  thing  this 
type  of  house  is  the  cheapest  form  available  for  a 
small  flock.  The  addition  of  a  window  or  two 

5 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

and  a  door  is  all  that  is  necessary,  so  far  as  the 
construction  of  the  house  itself  is  concerned, 
while  the  only  interior  fixtures  that  will  necessarily 
cost  any  money  are  the  roosts  and  nests.  It  is 
a  very  good  plan  to  cover  the  exterior  of  such  a 
house  with  roofing  paper,  as  this  makes  it  mate- 
rially warmer  and  more  comfortable  during  the 
cold  winter  weather. 

Size  of  Flock  Required.  The  number  of  fowls 
necessary  to  keep  a  family  supplied  with  poultry 
and  eggs  depends  upon  the  size  of  the  family  and 
upon  their  appetites  for  poultry  products.  As  a 
usual  thing,  a  dozen  hens  are  sufficient  for  a  family 
of  four  or  five  persons.  From  seventy-five  to  one 
hundred  eggs  a  year  from  each  hen  is  what  may 
safely  be  expected  by  the  novice  with  regard  to 
the  egg  production  of  his  flock. 

What  It  Costs  to  Feed  a  Hen.  One  dollar  a 
year  per  hen  is  the  usual  estimate  of  the  cost  of 
maintenance.  Where  all  feed  has  to  be  purchased 
this  figure  is  probably  a  little  too  low,  but  where 
use  can  be  made  of  waste  materials  the  expenses 
certainly  should  not  exceed  this  figure. 

As  a  business  proposition,  poultry  keeping  offers 
excellent  inducements  to  ambitious  beginners;  in 
Poultry  fact,  there  is  money,  pleasure  and 

Keeping  as  a    health   in   a   properly   managed   and 
well-established    poultry    farm,    but, 
like  Rome,  it  can  not  be  built  in  a  day. 

6 


Courtesy  of  U.  R.  Fishsl 

Continuous  piano-box  poultry  house,  in  course  of  construction  and  its 

completed  state 


POULTRY   KEEPING   AND   KEEPERS 

In  starting  into  the  poultry  business,  the  average 
person  gets  too  enthusiastic  and  attempts  to  do  too 
much.  That  has  been  the  cause  of  ninety-five  per 
cent,  of  the  failures  with  poultry,  of  which  there 
are  a  large  number.  The  better  way  is  to  start  on 
a  small  scale,  and  enlarge  as  experience  and  capa- 
bility justify.  The  idea  that  almost  anybody  can 
make  a  success  with  poultry  on  a  large  scale  has 
been  disproved  times  without  number.  In  fact,  it 
is  next  to  impossible  for  a  man  with  no  practical 
experience  to  go  into  the  poultry  business  on  a  more 
or  less  extended  scale  and  make  a  success  of  it  from 
the  start.  I  know  of  no  place  where  preparation 
is  a  more  potent  factor  toward  success  than  in  the 
poultry  business ;  in  fact,  I  think  I  am  safe  in  saying 
that  experience  and  its  application  is  the  key  to 
success  with  poultry. 

A  man  would  not  think  of  establishing  a  large 
mercantile  business  unless  he  knew  considerable 
about  the  trade,  but  many  apparently  intelligent 
people  rush  pellmell  into  the  poultry  business  with 
no  idea  of  its  requirements  or  the  returns  which 
may  be  expected,  except  what  they  have  gained 
from  the  many  distorted  stories  which  appear  from 
time  to  time  and  which  promise  "  enormous " 
profits  from  poultry.  The  men  who  are  making 
the  greatest  successes  in  the  poultry  business  are 
those  who  started  in  a  small  way  and  have  gradu- 
ally grown  into  the  business,  enlarging  the  scope 

7 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

of  their  operations  only  as  fast  as  their  experience 
and  the  returns  from  the  business  justified.  That 
is  the  most  sensible  way  of  entering  the  field  of 
poultry  culture,  and,  indeed,  the  only  sure  way  of 
avoiding  partial  or  total  failure.  For  the  man  who 
attains  success  with  a  small  flock  can,  by  following 
up  the  same  general  ideas  and  plans  on  a  more 
extended  scale,  branch  out  and  increase  his  flock 
and  continue  in  a  channel  of  profit. 

Skill  and  brains  receive  as  great  a  reward  in  the 
poultry  business  as  in  any  other,  while  resourceful- 
ness is  an  especially  good  asset  for  the  poultryman. 
People  who  think  that  the  poultry  business  is  a 
"  soft  snap,"  and  have  some  money  they  want  to 
lose,  need  only  to  invest  it  in  poultry.  While  poul- 
try keeping  is  not  particularly  hard  work,  it  is 
harder  work  than  many  people  think.  This  is 
true,  not  because  of  the  manual  labor  required, 
but  because  the  attention  must  be  constant  and 
because  it  is  made  up  largely  of  details  which 
often  become  tedious  and  irksome. 

The  amount  a  man  gets  out  of  any  business 
depends  very  largely  upon  the  amount  he  puts  in 
The  Profits  it.  There  are  failures  and  successes 
from  Poultry  in  every  line  of  work,  and  poultry 
as  a  Business  keeplng  Is  no  exception.  There  are 
men  in  the  poultry  business  to-day  who  are  making 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars  or  more  from  their 
poultry  business  each  year.  There  are  other  men 

8 


POULTRY   KEEPING   AND   KEEPERS 

who  have  lost  almost  that  much  on  poultry  in  the 
course  of  a  few  years.  The  difference  is  in  the 
men,  not  in  the  poultry  business.  More  depends 
upon  the  man  than  upon  the  poultry  business, 
whether  the  ultimate  result  be  profit  or  loss. 

We  have  long  outlived  the  age  when  the  verdict 
was  almost  unanimous  that  u  poultry  don't  pay." 
There  are  too  many  men,  now,  making  comfortable 
incomes  from  poultry,  and  too  many  whose  annual 
earnings  amount  well  up  in  the  thousands,  for 
there  to  be  any  doubt  about  the  profitableness 
of  poultry.  The  blame  for  failure  cannot  any 
longer  be  attached  to  the  business;  it  must  be 
charged  against  the  man,  since  it  has  been  conclu- 
sively proven  that  poultry  keeping  is  profitable 
under  favorable  conditions.  There  is  no  danger 
of  the  business  being  overdone,  because  the  de- 
mand is  increasing  faster  than  the  supply,  and 
America  is  forced  to  import  large  quantities  of 
poultry  products  every  year.  The  trusts  and  com- 
bines never  have  "  froze  out "  the  individual  pro- 
ducer, and  never  will,  for  the  reason  that  the  poul- 
try industry  is  composed  of  too  many  million  dis- 
tinct units  (small  producers)  for  one  or  two  per- 
sons to  gain  dominion. 

Profits  that  are  strictly  enormous  can  be  made 
from  poultry  only  on  paper;  but  skillful  poultry- 
men  find  it  comparatively  easy  to  make  more  money 
from  an  investment  of  their  own  capital  and  labor 

9 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

in  poultry  than  in  any  other  business.  Personally, 
I  have  made  my  own  plant,  the  Sando  Buff  Rock 
Farm,  turn  out  a  profit  of  twenty-five  per  cent,  per 
annum  on  my  investment,  but  it  cost  several  years 
of  time  and  several  hundred  dollars  in  money 
before  I  was  able  to  arrive  at  that  result. 

By  the  term  "  side-line  "  we  mean  as  an  adjunct 
to  some  other  occupation,  such  as  farming, 
Poultry  as  a  fruit  growing,  gardening,  or  dairying. 
Side-Line  There  is  no  doubt  but  that  poultry  can 
be  made  to  pay  as  great,  if  not  greater,  profits  when 
handled  in  this  way  than  in  any  other.  Poultry 
keeping  "nicks  in  "  well  with  all  of  those  businesses 
just  mentioned,  and  it  is  no  rare  thing  to  find  that 
a  flock  of  poultry  can  be  handled  in  connection 
with  one  of  them  with  greater  profit  than  would 
result  from  giving  exclusive  attention  to  the  other 
business.  This  is  because  poultry  are  gregarious 
and  utilize  most  of  the  waste  products  of  these 
occupations. 

And  again,  poultry  keeping  enables  the  farmer 
to  bring  into  profitable  use  the  unworkable 
hillsides  and  the  rough  rock  lands,  and  the 
uncultivated  woods  and  meadows,  besides  turn- 
ing waste  grains  and  feeds  into  a  source  of 
revenue.  Fruit  growers  find  that  their  trees  yield 
more  and  better  fruit  when  flocks  of  poultry  have 
the  run  of  their  orchards,  because  in  this  way 
the  trees  are  kept  free  from  the  many  noxious  bugs, 

10 


POULTRY   KEEPING   AND   KEEPERS 

worms  and  insects,  while  the  poultry  droppings 
have  a  very  beneficial  effect  upon  the  fruit  yield, 
because  no  manure  is  richer  or  more  valuable  than 
hen  manure.  The  gardener  and  dairyman  have 
many  waste  products  which  come  in  very  handy 
for  feeding  to  a  flock  of  'hens,  while  the  prod- 
uct from  the  poultry  can  be  marketed  along  with 
their  other  goods  at  no  extra  expense,  but  at  con- 
siderable increase  in  price  over  that  paid  in  the 
open  market. 

It  is  very  probable  that  the  greater  part  of  this 
country's  poultry  supply  comes  from  flocks  cared 
Poultr  ^or  Prnlcipally  by  women.  On  farms 

Keeping  for  the  care  of  the  fowls  is  usually  left  to 
Women;  for  the  farmer's  wife  or  daughter,  because 
Invalids  ^  men  are  tOQ  j^y  Wj(.j1  ^  regular 

routine  of  farm  work  to  "  bother  "  with  the  hens; 
while  in  towns  the  absence  of  the  men  from  the 
home  during  working  hours  leaves  the  care  of  the 
poultry  mostly  to  the  women,  even  when  the  men 
take  an  interest  in  the  work.  Women  can  raise 
poultry  just  as  successfully  as  men,  on  a  small 
scale;  but,  as  a  rule,  poultry  keeping  on  a  scale  to 
make  a  living  for  a  family  is  beyond  a  woman's 
strength,  unless  she  can  press  into  service  some 
male  member  of  the  family  or  has  hired  help. 

Many  invalids  are  attracted  to  poultry  keeping 
as  an  occupation,  because  the  work  is  not  confining 
and  it  is  outdoors  for  the  most  part,  and  because 

ii 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

there  is  not  much  heavy  work  connected  with  it. 
Also,  the  work  is  pleasant  or  even  fascinating  to  a 
true  lover  of  fowls  and  nature,  and  has  a  tendency 
to  cause  an  invalid  to  look  more  on  the  bright  side 
of  things.  Many  a  weakened,  debilitated  person 
has  left  the  noisy,  dusty  city,  with  its  incessant 
whir  of  toil  and  strife,  and  found  restored  health 
and  strength  on  a  little  chicken  ranch,  where  he 
could  be  out  in  the  open,  breathing  pure  air,  amid 
pleasant  and  interesting  surroundings. 

Invalids,  like  women,  had  best  restrict  their 
poultry  operations,  for  otherwise  it  is  likely  to  do 
them  more  harm  than  good.  A  person  with  com- 
paratively little  strength  can  look  after  a  small 
flock  of  a  hundred  or  more  hens,  but  the  work 
requires  close  attention,  and  if  carried  farther 
than  the  number  mentioned  it  is  likely  to  become 
too  confining  and  monotonous  for  an  invalid.  A 
person  who  cannot  give  his  fowls  regular  atten- 
tion in  all  kinds  of  weather  must  not  expect  them 
to  be  very  profitable.  Invalids  can  make  as  much 
money  with  a  small  flock  of  fowls  as  any  other 
class  of  people,  and  as  the  work  builds  them  up 
physically  they  can  develop  their  poultry  business 
until  it  may  ultimately  yield  them  a  good  living 
income. 

The  man  who  can  afford  a  country  home,  with 
beautiful  surroundings  and  every  comfort,  and  who 
considers  poultry  from  the  dollars-and-cents  stand- 

12 


POULTRY   KEEPING   AND   KEEPERS 

point  only,  has  a  lack  of  artistic  perception.  Beau- 
tiful though  ponds,  shrubbery  and  orchards  may 
Poultry  for  be,  tneY  are  merely  still-life  etchings 
the  Country  until  poultry  is  introduced.  Have 
Home  ducks  for  your  brooks  or  irrigat- 

ing ditches,  swans  on  your  ponds,  peacocks  in 
the  formal  gardens,  pheasants  among  the  shrub- 
bery, chickens  in  colony  houses  scattered  through- 
out the  orchard,  turkeys  roaming  through  the 
meadows — and  your  place  will  become  a  home  in- 
stead of  a  show  place.  Consider  them  as  you 
would  wide  porches,  or  any  other  feature  which 
will  add  to  the  livable  atmosphere  of  your  home, 
even  though  you  disregard  the  utilitarian  side  of 
the  matter. 

All  poultry  keeping  for  profit  may  be  divided 
into  two  main  classes — market  and  "  fancy  "  poul- 
_.._  try  business.  There  are  three  kinds 

Branches  of  of  market-poultry  plants:  those  that 
Market  Poultry  produce  eggs,  those  that  produce  meat, 
Keeping  and  u  combination  "  plants. 

The  first  kind  cater  exclusively  to  an  egg  trade, 
and  usually  keep  a  breed  that  will  lay  the  most  eggs, 
with  little  or  no  regard  to  the  size  or  market  quali- 
fications of  the  stock.  The  second  class  of  plants 
produce  "  squabs,"  broilers,  roasters,  or  capon 
fowls,  marketing  no  eggs,  but  keeping  only  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  adult  fowls  to  supply  them  with 
eggs  for  hatching  their  products.  The  combina- 

13 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

tion  plants  try  to  fill  the  demands  for  both  eggs  and 
meat,  and  provide  more  nearly  equal  employment 
the  year  around,  because  the  greatest  activity  with 
eggs  is  in  the  fall  and  winter,  while  the  spring  and 
summer  is  the  busy  time  with  broilers.  The  exclu- 
sive broiler  business,  or  the  broiler  and  roaster 
business,  requires  the  most  skill  of  any  market 
branch,  because  it  involves  the  hatching  and  rear- 
ing of  a  great  number  of  chicks  each  year. 

The  egg  trade  should  be  worked  up  by  the  begin- 
ner first  of  all,  and  after  he  has  made  a  success  of 
that  he  can  then  branch  out  in  the  more  risky 
broiler  business  if  he  desires.  All  branches  of  mar- 
ket poultry  keeping  require  close  proximity  to  a 
good  city  market  for  the  highest  prices  and  greatest 
profits.  "  Fancy  "  poultry  breeding  is  a  different 
kind  of  business  and  is  treated  at  length  in  another 
chapter. 

Perseverance  is  a  great  thing  in  the  poultry  busi- 
ness. The  breeders  who  are  prominent  in  the  poul- 
How  to  try  world  to-day  did  not  gain  their 

Achieve  prominence  in  a  single  season.  Most 

Success  0£  tne  fanciers  started  with  a  very 

ordinary  quality  of  stock  and  spent  several  years 
of  time  in  getting  their  fowls  to  a  high  standard 
of  excellence,  and  then  spent  considerable  more 
time  in  establishing  a  show  record  and  in  getting 
their  names  and  stock  before  the  public,  through 
advertising.  Others,  who  have  used  rare  judg- 

14 


POULTRY  KEEPING   AND   KEEPERS 

ment  and  started  with  the  best  stock  obtainable, 
who  have  intelligently  studied  the  principles  of 
breeding  and  have  given  much  thought  to  the 
work,  have  reached  a  position  near  the  top  in  a 
comparatively  short  time. 

There  are  just  as  great  successes  in  the  line  of 
poultry  and  eggs  for  market,  and  success  comes  in 
much  the  same  way.  In  starting,  "  learn  to  crawl 
before  you  attempt  to  walk."  Produce  goods  of  a 
superior  quality,  let  the  public  know  it,  guarantee 
all  eggs  to  be  clean  and  fresh-laid  and  all  fowls  to 
be  tender  and  palatable.  Market  all  goods  in  an 
attractive  form,  and  it  will  not  be  long  until  you 
will  have  all  the  business  you  can  accommodate  at  a 
good  margin  above  regular  market  prices. 

There  are  no  short  cuts,  there  is  no  royal  road 
to  success  in  the  poultry  business;  nor  is  the  path- 
way strewn  with  roses.  The  author  has  not  for- 
gotten, in  the  enjoyment  of  his  present  success, 
the  hard  places  over  which  he  has  passed.  He 
has  wrung  the  neck  of  an  old  hen  that  spoiled 
a  five-dollar  setting  of  eggs  by  quitting  her  job  at 
the  end  of  the  second  week;  has  had  his  incubator 
cook  two  hundred  eggs  in  an  hour;  a  home-made 
brooder  catch  fire  and  burn  up,  together  with  the 
fifty  chicks  that  were  being  brooded  in  it  and  one 
end  of  the  building  in  which  the  brooder  was 
located;  has  seen  a  fifteen-minute  shower  drown  a 
flock  of  chicks  that  cost  fifty  dollars  in  money  and 

15 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

fifty  score  of  dollars'  worth  of  work  and  worry; 
fought  lice,  roup,  gapes  and  cholera  to  a  fare-you- 
well,  and  yet  with  all  this  trouble  has  been  at  least 
fairly  successful.  Remember,  that  "  Keeping 
everlastingly  at  it  brings  success." 


16 


POULTRY    HOUSE   CONSTRUCTION 


CHAPTER    II 

POULTRY   HOUSE    CONSTRUCTION 


A~rOOD  poultry  house  does  not  necessarily 
need  to  be  an  elaborate  or  a  costly  one. 
The  preservation  and  maintenance  of  the 
health  and  thrift  of  the  birds  is  all  that  is  required 
of  any  house.  Elaborate  houses  are  all  right  for 
Different  Types  those  who  can  afford  them,  but  one 
of  Houses  should  not  become  discouraged  be- 
cause he  can  not  have  that  kind  ;  the  finest  poultry- 
house  imaginable,  even  though  it  be  painted  red, 
white  and  blue,  and  ornamented  with  gold-rooster 
weathervanes,  cannot  make  a  hen  lay  two  eggs  a 
day.  As  a  rule,  the  more  simple  in  construction  a 
house  is  the  more  satisfactory  it  is.  There  should 
be  as  few  nooks  and  ornaments  as  possible;  start 
in  with  the  knowledge  that  every  little  nook, 
corner,  crevice  and  crack  will  be  a  ready-made 
breeding  place  for  lice  and  mites,  and  shun  them. 
A  poultry  house  may  be  built  in  any  style  and 
along  any  lines,  to  suit  the  owner's  individual  fancy, 
so  long  as  proper  attention  is  paid  to  these  four 
prime  requisites:  light,  warmth,  dryness,  and  ven- 
tilation. Also,  it  should  be  free  from  drafts,  and 

19 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

so  constructed  that  the  inner  temperature  will  vary 
slowly  with  fluctuations  in  the  weather.  There 
should  be  numerous  windows,  and  these  should  be 
so  placed  that  the  sun  may  shine  into  the  house  for 
several  hours  each  day,  especially  in  winter,  at 
which  time  sunlight  should  be  provided  for  as 
great  a  length  of  time  as  possible.  These  things, 
together  with  a  good  location,  are  essential;  the 
permanent  lack  of  any  one  of  them  invariably 
affects  the  health  and  thrift  of  the  fowls,  sooner  or 
later  bringing  disease  and  loss. 

Occasionally  poultry  houses  are  met  with  that 
are  constructed  of  brick,  concrete  or  stone,  but 
these  are  very  rarely  used  on  thoroughly  successful 
poultry  plants.  That  they  are  more  durable  than 
frame  buildings  cannot  be  denied,  but  they  also 
cost  more,  and  it  is  a  fact,  which  few  experienced 
poultrymen  would  care  to  deny,  that  in  buildings 
constructed  of  these  materials  there  is  always  pres- 
ent in  the  winter  time  a  very  perceptible  chilly  sen- 
sation which  is  by  no  means  desirable. 

A  poultry  house  should  rest  upon  a  firm  footing, 
for  convenience  when  building  and  to  prevent  the 
Poultry  house  from  sagging  out  of  shape  later, 

House  and  also  because  a  good  wall  is  a  great 

Foundations  ^  jn  keeping  the  house  warm  and 
preventing  drafts  and  cold  currents  of  air  passing 
along  the  floor  in  cold  weather.  It  has  been  found 
that  a  concrete  foundation  is  less  expensive,  more 

20 


POULTRY   HOUSE    CONSTRUCTION 

effective  in  excluding  water  and  varmints — such  as 
rats,  weasles,  etc. — and  more  serviceable  in  every 
way  than  a  wall  made  of  stone.  A  hen-house  wall 
need  not  be  more  than  five  or  six  inches  thick.  It 
should  extend  at  least  half  a  foot  above  the  ground, 
and  need  not  extend  into  the  ground  more  than  a 
foot,  or  far  enough  to  prevent  heaving  by  frost. 

There  are  three  kinds  of  poultry  house  floors 
in  common  use  at  the  present  time,  viz.,  cement, 
earth,  and  board.  The  latter  kind  is 
scarcely  ever  employed  in  modern 
buildings  now,  and  it  is  very  probable  that  in  the 
course  of  a  few  more  years  board  floors  in  poultry 
houses  will  have  become  obsolete.  However,  wood 
is  the  best  material  for  the  construction  of  floors 
in  portable  houses  and  in  houses  having  a  space 
underneath  them  to  be  utilized  as  an  exercising 
room  for  the  fowls,  but  it  is  ridiculous  to  build  the 
kind  of  a  house  last  mentioned.  Where  earth 
floors  are  not  desirable,  cement  may  be  used  almost 
as  cheaply  as  boards,  and  the  floor  will  certainly 
be  much  more  serviceable  and  satisfactory.  A 
cement  floor  is  easier  to  keep  clean,  more  nearly  rat- 
proof,  more  durable,  and  dryer  when  properly 
made  than  any  other  kind  of  floor. 

A  good  many  successful  poultrymen  use  earth 
(gravel)  floors  because  they  are  the  cheapest. 
Also,  fowls  like  to  get  on  the  bare  ground  when- 
ever possible,  and  during  the  winter  time  indoors 

21 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

is  often  the  only  place  where  they  may  have  this 
desire  fulfilled.  However,  under  certain  condi- 
tions earth  floors  may  become  an  abomination. 
If  the  house  is  poorly  located  in  a  damp  spot,  or 
the  climate  is  such  that  heavy  rains  are  frequent, 
then  it  is  best  to  have  a  cement  or  board  floor 
in  the  poultry  house,  as  they  will  not  conduct 
dampness  so  readily  as  earth,  and  dryness  is  a 
cardinal  essential  in  every  well-constructed  poultry 
house.  Then  again,  in  case  of  disease,  an  earth 
floor  is  likely  to  become  contaminated  and  the 
entire  flock  may  become  infected  thereby,  or  the 
disease  germs  may  lurk  in  the  building  for  years; 
but  a  cement  floor  is  very  sanitary,  as  it  may  be 
thoroughly  cleaned,  scrubbed  and  disinfected. 
Cement  floors  are  not  chilly  or  hard  on  the  fowls' 
feet,  providing  the  floor  is  kept  well  covered  with 
litter. 

How  to  Combat  Rats.  If  rats  are  bothersome, 
they  may  cause  serious  loss,  and  in  such  cases 
cement  floors  are  the  easiest  and  safest  way  out  of 
the  difficulty.  Where  earth  or  board  floors  are 
used,  place  fine-mes'h  galvanized  wire  nettings  on 
the  ground,  thoroughly  covering  the  space  enclosed 
by  the  house  foundation,  before  the  floor  is  put  in. 
If  earth,  this  latter  should  consist  of  four  inches  of 
dirt  in  the  bottom  and  about  the  same  amount  of 
sand  and  gravel  on  top,  making  the  house  floor  at 
least  half  a  foot  higher  than  the  outside  earth — in 
order  to  avoid  dampness. 

22 


POULTRY   HOUSE    CONSTRUCTION 

Except  in  northern  latitudes  and  exceptionally 
cold  climates,  single-walled  houses  are  now  much 

Walls  m°re  P°Pu^ar  t^lan  t^le  double-walled 

ones — with  perhaps  a  heavy  packing 
of  sawdust,  earth  or  hay — which  were  considered 
quite  necessary  a  few  years  ago. 

In  climates  where  the  temperature  seldom  falls 
below  zero,  a  wall  composed  of  one  thickness  each 
of  boards  and  tarred  paper  or  roofing  fabric 
makes  a  comfortable  house.  This  construction 
may  be  arranged  in  two  ways.  The  cheaper  plan 
is  to  place  unmatched  boards  (sheathing)  next  to 
the  studding  and  then  cover  the  exterior  with  the 
felt.  The  other  way  is  to  place  the  felt  next  to 
the  studding  and  cover  with  tongued-and-grooved 
boards.  This  makes  the  house  somewhat  more 
attractive  on  the  outside,  but  there  is  no  other 
advantage. 

In  cooler  localities  the  ideal  construction  of  wall 
is,  first,  sheathing  next  to  the  studding,  then  a  layer 
of  tarred  paper,  and  then  cover  with  tongued-and- 
grooved  siding.  This  is  the  kind  of  wall  in  use  on 
the  author's  plant,  and  makes  a  house  warm  enough 
for  any  breed  and  any  section  of  America. 

A  "  combination  roof  "  or  a  "  gable  roof  "  re- 
quires slightly  more  material  to  construct  than  a 
"  shed  roof,"  but  that  is  one  of  the  least  of  several 

reasons  why  I  prefer  the  latter  kind. 
Roofs  *ii  f  •  i  •  1-11 

A  shed  roof  is  the  easiest  to  build; 

it  gives  the  highest  vertical  front  exposed  to  the 

23 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

sun's  rays  and  allows  the  windows  to  be  placed 
high  up,  giving  the  sunlight  far  back  in  the  pens, 
and  therefore  provides  the  best  possible  conditions 
of  sanitation,  warmth,  brightness  and  dryness;  it 
throws  all  the  rainwater  to  the  rear,  lessening  the 
length  of  eaves-trough  one-half  and  does  away  with 
the  pernicious  eaves-drip  down  in  front,  keeping 
the  front  of  the  house  and  the  ground  in  front  of 
that  dry.  A  house  with  all  of  its  roof  sloping  to 
the  north  is  cooler  in  the  summer,  because  it  is 
never  exposed  to  the  vertical  rays  of  the  sun.  Also, 
when  the  slope  is  all  toward  the  north,  a  roof  cov- 
ered with  prepared  roofing  will  last  much  longer. 
A  leaky  poultry  house  is  an  abomination,  and 
with  the  many  excellent  brands  of  prepared  roofing 
now  on  the  market  there  is  no  excuse  for  a  bad 
roof.  A  roof  covered  with  this  material  makes  a 
tighter  house  than  one  covered  with  shingles,  and 
does  it  with  less  cost.  Also,  a  roof  covered  with 
prepared  roofing  may  be  given  a  smaller  degree  of 
slant  than  a  shingled  roof,  and  that  is  an  important 
point  in  poultry  house  construction,  because  it 
makes  possible  a  type  of  house  sufficiently  high  in 
the  rear  without  excessive  height  in  front  in  order 
to  give  enough  slant  to  the  roof.  A  shingle  roof, 
however,  has  the  advantage  of  responding  less 
readily  to  outside  weather  conditions,  and  there- 
fore is  more  cool  and  pleasant  than  other  kinds 
in  hot  summer  weather. 

24 


POULTRY   HOUSE   CONSTRUCTION 

Plenty  of  light  is  necessary  in  a  poultry  house; 
sunlight  not  only  carries  warmth  and  good  cheer, 

but  also  tends  to  arrest  disease.     But, 
Windows  ...  ,,....  ..  , 

while  too  much   light  is   impossible, 

there  is  such  a  thing  as  too  much  glass  in  a  poul- 
try house;  not  only  because  it  makes  construc- 
tion expensive,  but  also  because  it  makes  a  house 
too  cold  at  night  and  too  warm  in  the  day- 
time, for  glass  gives  off  heat  at  night  as  readily  as 
it  collects  it  in  the  daytime. 

Windows  should  be  placed  comparatively  high 
up  in  the  walls,  and  the  greatest  length  should  be 
placed  up  and  down,  not  horizontally.  The  time 
when  sunshine  is  most  needed  is  when  the  sun  is 
the  lowest,  that  is,  from  September  21  to  March 
2 1 ;  therefore  the  necessity  for  having  the  windows 
up  high  enough  that  the  sun  may  be  reflected  well 
back  in  the  pens,  as  otherwise  only  the  space  directly 
in  front  of  the  windows  will  be  reached  by  the  sun. 

Following  out  this  idea,  the  windows  in  a  nar- 
row house  need  not  be  placed  so  high  as  in  a  house 
having  a  greater  depth,  and  consequently  the  walls 
would  not  need  to  be  so  high.  In  a  house  ten  feet 
deep  the  highest  point  of  the  windows  should  be  at 
least  four  and  one-half  feet  from  the  ground ;  while 
seven  feet  should  be  the  extreme  height  with  a 
house  fifteen  or  sixteen  feet  deep. 

If  the  front  wall  is  made  high,  make  the  rear 
wall  comparatively  low,  and  the  house  will  be 

25 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

warmer  in  the  winter,  for  the  reason  that  there  will 
not  be  such  a  large  amount  of  air  space  for  the 
fowls  to  warm  with  their  bodily  heat. 

In  selecting  window  sash,  remember  that  those 
with  small  glass  seriously  obstruct  the  light,  while 
very  large  glass  break  too  easily  and  are  more 
expensive. 

While  the  exercising  part  of  the  poultry  house 
should  not  be  too  warm,  so  that  the  birds  may  be 
Roosting  induced  to  exercise  in  order  to  keep 

Quarters  warm,  they  cannot  handily  move 

around  while  on  the  roosts,  and  this  part  of  the 
house  should  be  the  warmest  and  most  snug  of  all. 
However,  there  is  no  necessity  for  having  a  sepa- 
rate and  more  tightly  constructed  room,  apart  from 
the  exercising  quarters,  for  the  location  of  the 
perches.  With  the  roosts  in  the  rear  part  of  the 
house,  and  that  part  of  the  house  the  lowest  as 
I  have  suggested,  there  usually  is  no  necessity 
for  any  separation  of  the  roosting  and  exercising 
parts  of  the  house  in  the  more  pleasant  sections 
of  America.  However,  in  cold  climates,  or  with 
birds  that  have  very  large  combs,  it  often  becomes 
desirable  to  hang  curtains  of  burlap  or  a  similar 
loosely  woven  material  down  in  front  of  the 
perches  at  night,  but  that  is  ordinarily  as  much 
extra  protection  as  ever  is  necessary. 

Where  these  curtains  are  used  it  will  be  found 
that  they  keep  pretty  closely  confined  the  animal 

26 


POULTRY   HOUSE    CONSTRUCTION 

heat  generated  by  the  fowls  and  make  that  part  of 
the  house  warmer  than  would  be  imagined.  They 
should  hang  clear  of  the  perches  several  inches,  in 
order  that  undesirable  gases  and  foul  air  may  fall 
to  the  ground;  and  use  them  only  when  necessary 
on  very  chilly  nights,  as  fowls  should  always  have 
the  benefit  of  as  much  pure,  unconfined  air  as  pos- 
sible. The  curtains  may  be  attached  to  rollers 
at  the  ceiling  of  house,  and  conveniently  operated 
much  the  same  as  window  blinds. 

The  matter  of  correct  ventilation  is  one  of  the 
most  vital  features  of  poultry  house  construction. 
Ventilating  Pure  air  is  even  more  important  for 
the  House  poultry  than  for  other  domestic  ani- 
mals, because  their  body  temperature  is  several 
degrees  higher.  Aside  from  this,  there  always  is 
more  or  less  of  an  unpleasant  odor  existing  in 
poultry  houses,  and  it  is  necessary  that  this  be  dis- 
sipated, as  well  as  an  abundance  of  pure  fresh  air 
supplied  for  the  fowls  to  breathe.  Also,  in  the 
roosting  quarters,  the  warm  air  exhaled  from  the 
lungs  of  the  fowls  is  always  heavily  charged  with 
moisture,  and  this,  coming  in  contact  with  the  cold 
roof  and  walls,  is  condensed  in  a  poorly  ventilated 
building,  and  in  freezing  weather  appears  as  hoar 
frost,  which  freezes  in  drops  in  cold  weather  or 
melts  and  drops  to  the  floor  when  the  house  has 
been  warmed  up  by  the  sun. 

Up  until  the  last  few  years  this  matter  of  cor- 
27 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

rectly  ventilating  a  poultry  house  was  a  serious 
problem.  The  ventilators  which  work  quite  satis- 
factorily in  dwelling  houses  and  barns  give  very 
unsatisfactory  results  on  poultry  houses,  and  are 
little,  if  any,  better  than  nothing  at  all.  The 
method  most  in  vogue  a  few  years  ago  was  that  of 
having  a  loft  above  a  loose  ceiling  in  the  poultry 
house,  and  much  of  the  moisture  and  impurities  of 
the  air  were  supposed  to  be  absorbed  into  the  hay 
and  straw  with  which  the  loft  was  filled.  This 
was  more  or  less  unsatisfactory,  however,  and  it 
was  not  until  the  recent  introduction  of  the  use  of 
muslin  or  burlap  as  a  partial  or  total  substitute  for 
window  glass,  that  the  problem  of  properly  ven- 
tilating a  poultry  house  reached  a  satisfactory 
solution. 

The  modern  and  model  way  of  ventilating  a 
poultry  house  is  by  means  of  window  openings  in 
the  south  side  of  the  building,  which  are  covered 
with  a  burlap  or  muslin  curtain  in  exceedingly  cold 
or  disagreeable  weather.  During  the  remainder 
of  the  time,  winter  and  summer,  these  openings 
are  covered  merely  with  wire  netting.  With  the 
house  constructed  tight  on  all  other  sides,  as  I 
have  advised,  this  system  allows  of  a  gentle  diffu- 
sion of  air  with  no  direct  draft.  The  principle  is 
much  the  same  as  that  involved  in  "  you  can't  blow 
into  a  bottle,"  because  all  the  available  air  space 
is  already  occupied. 

28 


POULTRY   HOUSE   CONSTRUCTION 

Muslin  and  burlap  are  very  much  cheaper  than 
glass,  thus  considerably  lessening  the  cost  of  a 
poultry  house,  and  the  fresh  air  type  of  house  has 
been  thoroughly  proven  to  have  a  beneficial  effect 
upon  the  winter  health  and  vitality  of  fowls.  If 
muslin  is  used  it  should  be  of  a  quality  that  is  com- 
paratively loosely  woven. 

To  those  who  have  not  had  the  privilege  of 
testing  the  matter,  this  fresh-air  treatment  may 
seem  a  little  radical,  but  its  value  to  the  human 
race  (especially  in  cases  of  weak  lungs  or  tuber- 
culosis, or  as  a  preventive  of  these  ailments)  is 
now  universally  recognized,  and  its  invigorating 
effects  upon  the  constitution  of  a  fowl  are  prac- 
tically the  same.  A  fowl  is  provided  with  the 
warmest  kind  of  clothing  (feathers),  and  can 
withstand  a  great  deal  of  cold  if  it  is  not  accom- 
panied by  drafts  and  dampness. 


PLANS   AND   SPECIFICATIONS   OF 
MODERN   POULTRY   HOUSES 


CHAPTER    III 

PLANS  AND   SPECIFICATIONS   OF  MODERN 
POULTRY   HOUSES 

f  |  ^HERE  are  several  types  and  many  designs 
of    poultry    houses.     Broadly    speaking, 

JL  however,  all  poultry  houses  may  be  classi- 
fied in  three  divisions.  The  two  extremes  are  known 
as  "  continuous  houses  "  and  as  "  colony  houses," 
Determining  while  the  intermediate  system  is  called 
the  Type  of  the  "  scratching-shed  house." 
House  Continuous  houses  are  those  that 

are  divided  into  a  number  of  similar  pens,  all 
under  the  same  roof.  The  plan  is  illustrated  in 
the  picture,  "  A  Modern  Continuous  House," 
and  such  houses  may  be  built  any  length  and 
size  desired,  and  other  pens  may  be  added  to 
either  end  of  the  building  from  time  to  time  with- 
out in  any  way  altering  the  general  character  or 
construction  of  the  house. 

Scratching-shed  houses  are  simply  open  sheds 
alternated  with  closed  houses.  The  open  sheds 
furnish  a  protected  place  for  the  feeding  and  exer- 
cising of  the  fowls  during  the  day,  while  the  closed 

33 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

apartments  contain  only  enough  floor  space  to 
accommodate  the  roosts  and  nests  and  the  feed 
boxes  and  drinking  vessels.  There  is  little  to 
choose  between  the  results  from  this  plan  and 
from  the  ordinary  continuous  house  plan,  with  the 
front  comparatively  loose  iand  with  the  muslin 
curtain.  Both  are  invaluable  in  the  winter  time 
in  that  while  they  have  comfortable  roosting  quar- 
ters, they  also  afford  space  in  which  the  fowls  may 
enjoy  healthful  exercise  in  fresh  air,  without  being 
exposed  to  rain  and  snowstorms  or  chilling  winds. 
The  author  prefers  the  ordinary  continuous  type  of 
houses,  such  as  described  and  illustrated  in  this 
chapter,  because  such  houses  are  cheaper,  more 
easily  constructed  and  handier  for  the  attendant 
than  those  houses  in  which  the  sleeping  and  exer- 
cising apartments  are  separate  rooms. 

Colony  Houses.  The  colony  plan  is  adopted  by 
those  who  are  of  the  opinion  that  fowls  thrive  best 
when  not  housed  together  in  excessively  large  num- 
bers. Their  preference  Is  a  house  which  contains 
not  more  than  seventy-five  or  one  hundred  adult 
birds,  and  it  is  a  wise  one.  These  houses  are 
dotted  over  the  farm  at  such  intervals  as  conven- 
ience directs,  some  keeping  the  fowls  yarded  and 
having  these  runs  adjoining,  while  others  place  the 
houses  far  enough  apart  to  obviate  the  use  of 
fences,  giving  the  flocks  free  range  with  very  little 
mingling  of  the  members  of  different  flocks.  This 

34 


HOUSE    PLANS    AND    SPECIFICATIONS 

is  the  ideal  way  of  housing  and  yarding  poultry, 
and  we  recommend  it  to  all  who  can  possibly  make 
use  of  it.  It  is  impractical,  however,  where  thou- 
sands of  birds  are  kept,  as  the  scattered  houses 
make  too  much  extra  work  and  inconvenience. 

In  a  long  continuous  house,  in  case  of  an  epi- 
demic or  contagious  disease,  it  is  liable  to  spread 
from  one  or  two  pens  to  every  pen  in  the  building, 
but  the  colony  system  of  housing  keeps  the  flocks 
too  widely  separated  for  any  general  catastrophe. 
With  the  colony  system  any  style  of  house  may  be 
used — either  regular  colony  houses  or  one-pen  or 
two-pen  continuous  houses,  or  the  same-sized 
scratching-shed  houses. 

People  who  must  necessarily  use  long  continuous 
houses,  on  account  of  lack  of  yard  room,  will  find 
that  as  a  general  thing  the  shorter  houses  give 
vastly  superior  results  to  the  quite  long  ones. 

Attractive  Poultry  Houses.  No  particular  effort 
has  been  made  to  show  especially  beautiful  poultry 
houses  in  this  book.  All  buildings  and  coops  illus- 
trated and  described  are,  first  and  above  all  else, 
practical ;  although  at  the  same  time  I  do  not  think 
any  of  them  can  be  called  positively  unattractive 
or  repulsive.  The  houses  shown  can,  if  desired, 
be  constructed  as  cheaply  as  is  compatible  with 
satisfactory  results  in  any  house,  and  at  the  same 
time  the  man  who  wants  a  fancy  hen-house  can 
have  his  desire  fulfilled  in  this  same  style  of  house 

35 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

simply  by  using  a  few  fancy  ornaments  and  by 
keeping  the  house  and  fence  attractively  painted 
and  vines  and  shrubbery  growing  along  the  fence 
and  in  the  yards. 

Cheap  Poultry  Houses.  For  the  benefit  of  those 
who  wish  inexpensive  poultry  houses,  I  might  state 
that  it  does  not  pay  to  try  to  economize  too  closel) 
along  this  line;  for  fowls  cannot  thrive  and  pay  a 
profit  in  the  face  of  poor  housing.  With  the  pres- 
ent high  prices  of  lumber  and  labor,  it  is  next  tc 
impossible  to  build  a  satisfactory  poultry  house 
from  new  materials  at  a  really  cheap  price.  It  is 
better  to  have  a  small  house  that  is  tight  and  well 
constructed,  than  a  large  one  of  inferior  quality 
and  unsatisfactory  design. 

Best  Width  for  Poultry  Houses.  The  more 
nearly  square  a  house  is,  the  less  the  cost  of  con- 
struction. However,  no  poultry  house  should  evei 
be  more  than  fifteen  or  sixteen  feet  deep,  or  the  sur 
cannot  reach  the  depths  most  remote  from  the  win- 
dows. Twelve  to  fourteen  feet  is  the  depth  pre- 
ferred by  the  author  for  continuous  houses. 

Modern  Continuous  House  No.  i.  This  build 
ing  is  36  feet  long  by  12  feet  wide,  and  contains 
three  sections,  or  divisions,  each  12  feet  square 
The  front  elevation  is  9  feet  and  the  rear  5  feet 
The  roof  is  covered  with  shingles.  The  windows 
are  composed  of  two  sashes,  each  containing  sb 
panes  of  glass  9x14  inches  in  size.  The  curtains 

36 


o 


-8 

o 


"I 


-  sin 


151- 


HOUSE    PLANS    AND    SPECIFICATIONS 

which  provide  the  ventilation,  and  which  are  hung 
down  between  the  windows,  are  3  x  6T/2  feet  in 
size,  and  are  hinged  at  the  top  to  swing  back  into 
the  building,  where  they  may  be;  fastened  up  out 
of  the  way  during  pleasant  weather.  Later  expe- 
rience has  shown  that  this  house  contains  more 
glass  than  is  really  necessary. 

Modern  Continuous  House  No.  2.  This  build- 
ing is  14  feet  wide;  7  feet  high  in  the  front  and  5 
feet  high  in  the  rear.  The  roof  is  covered  with 
roofing  fabric,  hence  a  lesser  degree  of  slope  is 
required  than  were  the  roof  shingled.  This  house 
is  divided  into  five  pens,  each  pen  having  one  glass 
and  one  muslin  window,  which  furnish  both  light 
and  ventilation  in  ample  quantities.  The  construc- 
tion of  the  front  and  the  roof  of  this  house  is 
somewhat  simpler  and  less  expensive  than  House 
No.  i. 

Modern  Continuous  House  No.  3.  This  build- 
ing differs  from  No.  2  only  in  length  (having  four 
pens  instead  of  five)  and  in  a  few  minor  details, 
such  as  the  location  of  the  henholes,  size  of  the 
window  lights,  and  the  arrangement  of  the  muslin 
curtains,  which  in  No.  2  are  made  all  in  one  section 
in  each  sash,  and  in  No.  3  are  made  in  two  frames 
and  slide  up  and  down,  the  same  as  the  glass  win- 
dows. This  picture  also  shows  what  an  attractive 
coat  of  paint  will  do  for  a  poultry  house.  The 
height  and  general  style  of  both  Houses  No.  2  and 

37 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

No.  3  are  the  same,  and  I  am  able  to  state,  after 
an  experience  with  all  kinds  of  poultry  houses,  that, 
all  things  considered,  this  is  the  most  thoroughly 
satisfactory  type  of  house  I  have  ever  used  or 
seen. 

The  inside  arrangement  of  all  three  houses  is 
extremely  simple — the  roosts  and  nests  in  the  rear 

General  and  a  drinking  fountain  and  a  hopper 

Construction  of       •<.  and  shdls  jn  each  These 

of  Houses  ..         f  / ' 

Number  i   2  occupy  only  a  few  feet  of  noor  space, 

and  3  so  the  fowls  have  ample  room  to 

scratch  and  exercise  in  the  litter  of  straw  which  is 
always  present  on  the  floor. 

During  the  winter  time  muslin  should  cover  the 
ventilating  frames,  but  in  the  summer  time,  or  in 
warm  climates,  burlap  will  answer  the  purpose 
quite  as  well,  and  during  pleasant  weather  in  any 
season  the  cloth  curtains  should  be  entirely  re- 
moved, giving  the  house  a  thorough  sunning  and 
airing. 

There  is  an  inside  curtain  of  burlap  which  may 
be  hung  down  from  the  rafters  in  front  of  the 
perches  in  cold  weather,  but  these  should  be  used 
only  on  extremely  cold  nights.  In  comparatively 
mild  sections  they  are  not  needed  at  all. 

The  inside  partitions  between  the  several  pens 
of  the  house  are  made  of  rough  boards  to  the 
height  of  thirty  inches  or  three  feet,  with  poultry 
netting  or  fencing  the  remainder  of  the  way  up. 

38 


HOUSE   PLANS    AND    SPECIFICATIONS 

In  long  houses,  every  third  or  fourth  partition 
should  be  boarded  up  entirely  to  the  roof  in  order 
to  prevent  drafts  from  sweeping  through  the  length 
of  the  house. 

The  gates,  or  doors,  through  which  the  attend- 
ant passes  from  one  pen  to  another,  are  placed 
toward  the  front  of  the  partitions,  so  that  they 
close  against  the  studding  in  the  front  wall  of  the 
house.  The  gates  are  hung  to  a  2  x  4-inch  scant- 
ling which  is  placed  in  each  partition  three  feet 
back  in  the  house  from  the  front  wall.  This  makes 
all  the  gates  come  on  a  line  with  the  outside  door, 
which  in  all  three  houses  is  situated  in  the  end  wall, 
as  shown  in  the  illustration  of  House  No.  i.  There 
are  no  openings  of  any  kind  in  the  rear  wall  and  the 
one  end  wall. 

The  bottom  board  of  the  inside  partition  runs 
the  entire  width  of  the  house,  and  so,  on  this,  the 
gate  is  set  ten  or  twelve  inches  above  the  floor. 
Two  boards  of  similar  width  are  used  to  make  the 
lower  part  of  the  gate  solid  and  in  keeping  with 
the  remainder  of  the  partition.  The  upper  body 
of  the  gate  may  be  covered  with  any  convenient 
netting  or  fencing.  The  2x4  scantling  previously 
mentioned  is  also  useful  for  fastening  the  other 
boards  and  the  wire  used  in  the  construction  of  the 
partition. 

The  hen  holes  in  the  front  wall  are  12x16 
inches,  being  small  hinged  doors  which  may  be 

39 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

raised  and  fastened  with  a  hook  to  keep  them  open, 
and  they  are  arranged  so  that  when  closed  they  may 
be  hooked  fast  on  the  inside. 

Passageways  in  Poultry  Houses.  Sometimes 
poultry  houses  are  arranged  with  a  "  passageway  " 
extending  the  length  of  the  house,  the  idea  being 
to  save  time  and  labor  for  the  attendant  by  enabling 
him  to  do  all  the  feeding  and  watering  of  the  fowls 
from  the  passageway.  However,  this  feature  ne- 
cessitates making  the  house  larger  in  providing  this 
extra  space,  which  is  useful  to  the  fowls  in  no  way 
and  to  the  attendant  for  but  a  few  minutes  each 
day.  Besides,  most  practical  poultrymen  value  the 
close  proximity  to  their  fowls  which  is  brought 
about  by  daily  passing  directly  through  their  pens. 

The  type  of  Colony  House  in  the  most  common 
and  satisfactory  use  for  adult  fowls,  and  for  devel- 
oping youngsters,  is  that  shown  in  the  illustration, 
"  The  Colony  System  in  Practical  Use."  This  coop 
is  practically  the  same  in  all  respects  as  a  one-pen 
Continuous  House  No.  2,  the  general  type  and 
dimensions  being  identical.  This  colony  house  may 
be  constructed  with  the  door  located  in  the  end  wall 
and  one  window  each  of  glass  and  muslin  in  the 
front,  or  the  glass  may  be  placed  in  the  door  and 
that  and  one  muslin  window  may  appear  in  the 
front  wall. 

The  "Practical  Roosting  Coop"  illustrated 
herewith,  is  designed  especially  for  the  rearing  of 

40 


HOUSE    PLANS    AND    SPECIFICATIONS 

young  chickens  from  the  weaning  age  until  they 
get  pretty  well  matured.  In  many  ways  this  kind 
of  a  coop  is  not  so  serviceable  or  so  perfectly 
satisfactory  as  a  regular  colony  house  like  the 
one  described  in  the  preceding  paragraph,  but  the 
small  coop  is  cheap,  may  be  moved  from  place  to 
place  quite  easily,  and  fills  the  bill  very  nicely 
where  not  a  great  number  of  chickens  are  raised. 
This  coop  is  3  x  6  feet  in  size,  three  feet  high  in 
front  and  two  feet  high  in  the  rear.  The  bottom 
is  of  matched  flooring  laid  on  cleats  and  is  remov- 
able, making  it  easy  to  set  the  main  coop  to  one 
side  and  thus  it  may  be  cleaned  much  easier  than 
were  the  floor  stationary.  The  coop  should  be 
built  in  sections,  with  each  wall  and  the  roof  sepa- 
rately constructed,  so  that  it  may  be  "  knocked 
down  "  for  greater  convenience  in  handling  and 
may  be  stored  away  during  the  winter  without 
occupying  an  excessive  amount  of  room.  The 
lower  two  feet  of  the  front  wall  is  made  of  tight 
lumber,  while  the  upper  twelve  inches  is  covered 
with  one-inch  mesh  wire  netting.  The  small  door 
for  the  fowls  is  contained  within  a  larger  door 
(twenty-two  inches  wide  by  thirty-four  inches 
high)  which  gives  the  caretaker  free  access  when 
necessary.  The  coop  has  an  adjustable  hood 
which  lies  flat  on  the  roof  when  not  in  use,  and 
which  may,  when  necessary,  be  adjusted  at  any 
convenient  angle  to  shelter  the  inside  of  the  coop 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

from  the  sun  or  rain;  in  cold  or  very  stormy 
weather  it  may  be  lowered  flat  against  the  front. 

This  coop  is  rather  small  for  adult  fowls,  except 
bantams,  but  with  the  addition  of  one  or  two  small 
glass  windows  it  makes  a  fairly  satisfactory  one- 
pen  house  for  four  or  five  medium-sized  fowls.  It 
is  light  and  easy  to  move,  and  may  be  carried  with- 
out much  exertion  from  one  part  of  the  premises 
to  another,  thus  giving  the  fowls  the  benefit  of 
new  ground  and  fresh  vegetation. 

The  "Roosting  Coop  for  Chicks  After  Wean- 
ing" illustrated  on  another  page,  is  3  x  6  feet  in 
size,  three  feet  high  in  the  front  and  two  feet  high 
in  the  rear.  Not  more  than  twenty-five  chicks 
should  be  housed  in  a  coop  of  this  size.  A  perch 
runs  the  entire  length  of  the  coop  a  half-foot  from 
the  rear  wall.  Such  a  small  coop  gives  satisfactory 
results  only  in  pleasant  weather  or  when  located  in 
a  well-protected  place. 


POULTRY   YARDING   AND    FENCING 


CHAPTER    IV 

POULTRY   YARDING   AND    FENCING 

IN  the  wild  state,  fowls  naturally  roam  in  the 
fields  and  woods  to  make  a  subsistence.    They 
thus  exert  themselves  and  secure  much  exer- 
cise, which  helps  to  keep  them  healthy  and  hardy. 
In  domestication,  at  least  a  portion  and  sometimes 
all  of  the  fowls'  food  is  provided  for  them,  but  it 
still  is  very  important  that  they  take  an  abundance 
of  exercise  to  keep  the  blood  circulating  and  the 
bodily  functions  active. 

Freedom  to  rove  at  pleasure  and  in  safety  is 
the  ideal  condition  for  health  and  happiness  among 

fowls,  but  of  course  this  is  possible 
Free  Range  '  ,  , 

only  where  the  poultryman  has  access 

to  a  tract  of  land  of  considerable  size.  On  farms 
it  is  a  good  plan  to  allow  unrestricted  range  over 
tillage,  meadows,  pasture,  and  into  woodland. 
Everybody  agrees  that  an  orchard  makes  an  ideal 
place  for  the  ranging  of  poultry,  but  not  everybody 
is  blessed  with  an  orchard. 

While  free  range  is  very  desirable,  it  is  not  at 
all  necessary  for  success  with  poultry.     However, 

45 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

where  fowls  must  be  yarded  they  should  have  as 
large  a  space  as  possible,  up  to  the  point  that 
Yarding  satisfies  their  apparent  longings  for 

Poultry  room.  Where  houses  with  several 

divisions  are  used  and  it  is  desired  to  pen  each  flock 
separately,  the  runs  should  be  rather  narrow  and 
as  long  as  possible  or  desirable.  Comparatively 
narrow  runs  are  desirable  because  they  induce  the 
fowls  to  range  away  from  the  house,  and  they  thus 
get  more  exercise  than  would  be  the  case  with 
square  yards. 

Double  Yarding.  Perhaps  the  best  possible 
system  when  keeping  poultry  in  confinement  is  to 
have  two  runs  for  each  pen  of  fowls,  using  them 
alternately.  In  the  one  have  grass  or  green  stuff 
of  some  kind  growing,  while  the  fowls  are  eating 
it  off  in  the  other  lot.  In  this  way  the  ground  gets 
occasional  rests  from  the  presence  of  fowls;  the 
ground  is  plowed  under  several  times  a  year,  and 
the  growing  stuff  helps  to  remove  impurities  from 
the  soil.  Where  this  plan  is  followed,  yards  may 
be  arranged  in  both  the  front  and  rear  of  the 
house.  Where  only  one  yard  is  allowed  to  each 
flock,  that  one  should  by  all  means  be  to  the  south 
of  the  house. 

With  the  double-yarding  system  the  location  of 
the  house  should  be  the  highest  point  of  all,  and 
the  ground  should  gently  slope  away  from  the 
house  in  each  direction.  With  the  single-yarding 

46 


POULTRY  YARDING   AND   FENCING 

system  the  slope  should  be  to  the  south,  or  south- 
east, and  if  that  is  not  a  natural  condition,  cutting 
and  filling  should  be  engaged  in  to  bring  about 
that  result,  as  it  is  essential;  for  then  the  ground 
will  dry  off  quicker  after  rains  and  much  of  the 
filth  and  droppings  which  collect  in  the  yards  will 
be  washed  away  from  the  house. 

It  is  not  a  good  plan  for  the  poultryman  to  have 
to  pass  through  the  poultry  yard  to  get  to  the 
house;  this  often  is  inconvenient  and  always  annoys 
the  fowls,  especially  if  strangers  or  visitors  intrude 
when  the  fowls  are  in  the  yard. 

The  site  for  the  poutry  house  must  be  high  and 
dry,  and  the  land  should  be  well  drained.  This  is 
essential  to  the  life  of  the  house  as  well  as  to  the 
health  of  the  fowls;  for  a  poultry  house,  like  any 
other  kind  of  a  building,  will  not  last  long  when 
the  sills  are  wet  and  damp  for  weeks  at  a  time — 
they  are  sure  to  rot  out  and  make  extensive  repairs 
necessary.  Also,  it  is  unhealthy  for  fowls  to  range 
over  ground  that  is  damp,  wet,  or  even  muddy. 

Well-drained  sandy  loam  or  gravelly  soil  is  prob- 
ably the  most  desirable  kind  of  ground;  it  is  best 
for  the  house  and  best  for  the  yards,  too ;  for  with 
porous  land  the  filth  and  droppings  are  absorbed 
by  the  ground  at  every  rain,  thus  keeping  the  runs 
clean  and  healthful.  A  poultry  house  should  never 
be  located  in  a  valley  or  other  depression,  where 
it  is  in  such  a  position  that  it  will  get  the  wash  of 

47 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

the  surrounding  land,  or  where  there  is  danger  of 
the  water  backing  up  around  it  during  a  sudden 
thaw  in  the  winter  or  spring. 

u  How  little  room  do  I  dare  to  allow  to  my 
flock?  "  is  a  much  more  common  question  among 
The  Least  small  poultry  keepers  than  "  How 
Yard  Room  much  room  should  I  allow?"  All 
Advisable  t^f-  }s  absolutely  necessary  of  any 
yard  is  to  supply  enough  room  to  enable  the  fowls 
to  take  sufficient  exercise  to  keep  in  a  good  healthy 
condition.  Anything  above  that  amount  is  simply 
for  the  purpose  of  giving  the  fowls  more  enjoy- 
ment and  pleasure  in  life,  the  stimulating  effect  of 
which  is  very  desirable;  anything  below  that 
amount  of  room  cannot  help  but  result  in  the 
deterioration  of  the  health  and  strength  of  the 
birds. 

A  great  deal  depends  upon  the  nature  of  the 
breed  as  to  how  much  room  they  must  have. 
The  two  extremes  of  type  are  probably  the 
Cochins  and  the  Leghorns;  the  former,  large  and 
sluggish  as  they  are,  will  contentedly  submit  to  a 
confinement  the  closeness  of  which  would  positively 
worry  the  active,  alert  Leghorns.  The  Plymouth 
Rocks,  Wyandottes,  and  other  medium-sized 
breeds,  are  between  these  extremes.  Where  the 
object  is  merely  eggs  for  market,  a  smaller 
yard  room  will  answer  the  purpose  than  where  the 
object  is  eggs  for  hatching  purposes.  Carefulness 

48 


POULTRY  YARDING  AND   FENCING 

on  the  part  of  the  attendant  to  provide  plenty  of 
good  clean  litter  for  the  birds  to  scratch  in,  green 
food  from  the  garden,  scraps  from  the  table  and 
kitchen,  etc.,  often  atone  for  a  lack  of  yard  room 
for  the  fowls  and  make  possible  a  success  not 
dreamed  of  by  the  careless  attendant. 

Larger  yard  space  per  head  is  necessary  in  the 
case  of  pens  of  four  to  ten  birds  than  where  fifty 
or  more  birds  are  kept  together.  For  flocks  of 
fifty  fowls,  fifty  to  seventy-five  square  feet  of 
yard  room  per  fowl  might  well  be  placed  as  the 
minimum  space  for  maximum  results;  in  perma- 
nent yards,  especially  if  uncultivated,  at  least  one 
hundred  square  feet  per  fowl  should  be  allowed. 
This  would  mean  about  three  acres  of  land  for  one 
thousand  adult  fowls,  and  that  is  about  as  "  inten- 
sive "  as  practicable ;  five  acres  would  be  much 
safer,  especially  for  breeding  stock.  A  flock  of  a 
dozen  fowls,  more  or  less,  should  have  at  least 
three  hundred  square  feet,  if  they  belong  to  the 
American  or  English  class.  The  Asiatic  breeds, 
with  good  care,  will  often  do  well  on  little  or  no 
range;  Leghorns  and  other  nervous  breeds  should 
not  be  attempted  on  a  small  plot.  All  figures  given 
are  strictly  minimum;  the  more  space  allowed  the 
better. 

The  poultry  keeper  must  remember  in  all  these 
cases  that  the  less  the  yard  room  for  his  flock  of 
poultry  the  more  constant  his  care  in  management 

49 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

will  have  to  be.  Among  these  matters  deserving 
special  attention  is  that  of  the  double  necessity  for 
Sanitation  of  keeping  small  yards  in  a  perfectly 
Yards  sanitary  condition.  Large  yards  may 

be  purified  both  by  cultivation  and  by  the  growing 
of  crops  on  them.  Small  yards  can  be  kept  free 
from  impurities  only  by  cultivation.  Fresh,  dry 
loam  is  capable  of  deodorizing  large  quantities  of 
droppings,  and  a  small  yard  may  be  kept  compara- 
tively clean  in  this  respect  if  it  is  raked,  spaded, 
or  cultivated  in  some  other  way  quite  frequently. 
Whenever  possible,  the  yards  should  be  made  of 
sufficient  length  and  width  to  allow  the  use  of  a 
horse  cultivator,  as  it  is  quite  a  task  to  cultivate 
by  hand  even  a  small  plot  a  half-dozen  or  more 
times  a  year.  Aside  from  the  value  of  purifying 
the  soil,  it  always  is  an  advantage  to  supply  green 
food  for  the  fowls  by  growing  grass  or  grain  in 
the  runs,  which  lessens  the  labor  of  supplying 
green  stuff  and  the  birds  relish  it  more  when  they 
can  eat  it  as  it  grows. 

Poultry  fences  may  be  either  stationary  or  port- 
able. In  the  case  of  the  latter,  they  had  best  be 
Construction  made  in  sections  of  about  twelve  feet 
of  Fences  in  length,  with  a  base  board  and  top 
board  so  that  the  fence  will  stand  moving  without 
harm.  Picket  and  lath  fences  are  practical  only  for 
small  yards,  and  where  good  appearances  are  an 
object  they  may  be  attractively  designed  and 

50 


POULTRY  YARDING   AND    FENCING 

painted  so  that  they  will  present  a  more  pleasing 
appearance  than  a  wire  fence.  Wire  netting  has 
until  recently  been  in  very  common  use  among 
poultrymen,  but  now  woven-wire  fences  are  the 
most  popular,  because  they  are  stronger,  last  longer, 
and  are  more  serviceable  in  every  way.  Cedar 
posts  are  probably  the  best,  while  chestnut  ranks 
next  with  regard  to  durability.  Galvanized  staples 
are  used  for  attaching  the  wires  to  the  posts. 

The  height  of  the  fence  depends  very  largely 
upon  the  breed  kept.  The  quiet,  sedate  Asiatics 
may  easily  be  kept  in  by  a  fence  four  feet  high,  and 
sometimes  three  feet  high  is  plenty.  American 
breeds  usually  require  a  fence  four  or  five  feet  high, 
the  latter  height  being  the  safer.  Fences  for  the 
active  Mediterranean  breeds  usually  have  to  be  at 
least  six  feet  high,  and  sometimes  seven  feet  in 
height  is  necessary. 

It  is  best  always  to  have  a  base  board 
around  a  poultry  fence,  because  then  the  fowls 
are  less  liable  to  burrow  underneath  and  get 
out  of  the  pen,  and  also  less  liable  to  get  their 
heads  caught  in  the  mesh  in  the  wire.  This  board 
should  be  something  like  a  foot  in  height,  except 
where  the  yards  are  side  by  side  and  contain  pugna- 
cious male  birds,  and  then  they  should  be  at  least 
two  feet,  or  high  enough  that  the  birds  cannot  see 
and  torment  one  another,  as  otherwise  they  will 
pick  at  one  another  and  try  to  fight  through  the 

5i 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

fence,  and  more  or  less  serious  injuries  to  combs 
and  heads  will  be  the  result.  Use  no  top  rail 
unless  absolutely  necessary  to  support  the  fencing 
material  and  then  the  fowls  will  have  no  ostenta- 
tious object  to  aim  at  in  flying  up  to  mount  the 
fence. 

Protection  from  the  hot  rays  of  the  summer's 
sun  is  as  necessary  to  fowls  as  protection  from  the 
Shade  in  chilling  blasts  of  winter.  Of  course 

the  Runs  natural  shade  is  best,  but  if  that  is  not 
available,  shade  can  and  should  be  provided. 
Arrangements  for  artificially  shading  parts  of  the 
yards  include  wooden  shutters,  frames  covered 
with  cotton  cloth,  and  supports  on  which  are 
placed  birches  and  evergreen  branches.  These 
"  covers  "  also  make  good  shelters  from  hawks 
where  such  enemies  to  poultry  are  present. 

Trees,  etc.,  for  Shade.  Natural  shade  can  be 
secured  by  means  of  bushes,  shrubs,  or  trees  of 
almost  any  kind.  Two  birds  may  be  killed  with 
one  stone,  as  it  were,  by  planting  those  trees  that 
bear  fruit  or  nuts,  as  the  trees  will  be  a  source  of 
revenue  as  well  as  providing  shade  for  the  fowls. 
Plum,  peach,  apple,  pear,  apricot,  and  cherry 
trees — all  are  excellent  for  poultry  runs.  Trees 
bear  exceptionally  well  here  on  account  of  the  rich 
poultry  manure  deposited  in  the  yards  by  the 
fowls  and  because  the  poultry  keep  the  trees  free 
from  injurious  worms  and  insects.  In  some  local- 

52 


POULTRY   YARDING  AND    FENCING 

ities  grapes  thrive  well  in  poultry  enclosures. 
The  vines  may  be  trained  to  posts  in  the  yards 
or  to  the  boundary  fences.  They  should,  of 
course,  be  so  pruned  that  they  will  bear  their 
fruit  up  from  the  ground  far  enough  that  the 
fowls  cannot  reach  it.  Evergreens  may  well  be 
used  for  wind-breaks,  and  will  also  furnish  shade; 
arbor  vitae,  white  pine  and  Norway  spruce  are 
also  excellent  in  this  connection. 


53 


POULTRY   FIXTURES 


CHAPTER   V 

POULTRY   FIXTURES 

PERCHES  should  all  be  on  the  same  level 
and  no  higher  that  two  or  three  feet  above 
the  floor.     By  having  the  perches  all  on 
the  same  level  there  is  no  strife  for  the  highest 
positions,    as    otherwise    always    occurs,    and   the 

fowls   are  always   found  evenly   dis- 
Roosts  .11  i  i  i  •!      i_ 

tnbuted  over  the  perches;  while  by 

having  them  low  there  is  no  danger  of  jars  and 
bruises  occurring  to  the  legs  or  bodies  of  the  fowls 
in  jumping  or  falling  off  the  perches. 

The  instinct  of  self-preservation  prompts  fowls 
to  perch  on  the  highest  point  they  can  reach  when 
taking  their  quarters  for  the  night;  they  naturally 
desire  to  be  above  danger  from  below.  This  in- 
stinct is  a  very  apparent  one,  and  it  is  strange  that 
we  so  often  see  in  use  the  old  undesirable  ladder- 
like  arrangement  of  the  roosts,  each  cross-piece  a 
little  higher  than  the  preceding  one,  the  first  one 
being  within  a  few  inches  of  the  floor,  while  the 
last  one  is  up  almost  to  the  roof.  If  one  will  look 
into  such  quarters  at  night,  after  the  birds  have 
retired,  he  will  find  that,  no  matter  how  much  room 

57 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

there  may  be  on  the  roosts,  only  a  portion  of  the 
lower  space  is  occupied,  while  the  higher  poles  are 
crowded,  and  the  fowls  are  as  compactly  pressed 
together  as  if  the  packing  process  had  been  done 
purposely  in  order  to  get  all  the  fowls  as  high  up 
as  possible. 

There  are  several  potent  objections  to  such 
roosts,  not  only  so  far  as  the  health  and  com- 
fort of  the  fowls  -are  concerned  while  they  are 
sleeping,  but  also  because  the  roosts  are  unsightly, 
unhandy  and  filthy.  By  all  the  fowls  striving  for 
the  topmost  perch  they  frequently  crowd  each  other 
off,  and  harmful  results  often  follow  such  accidents. 
Even  when  there  is  no  crowding,  the  highest 
perches  are  so  far  removed  from  the  floor  that 
heavy  fowls  often  fall  when  getting  off  in  the  morn- 
ing, or  if  they  do  alight  properly,  the  distance  is 
so  great  that  their  feet  are  often  injured  and  some- 
times even  bruises  and  jars  to  the  body  result. 

The  best  perches  are  from  two  to  three  inches 
wide,  slightly  rounded  at  the  upper  edges,  and 
one  or  two  inches  thick,  or  heavy  enough  to  pre- 
vent sagging  or  breaking  with  the  weight  of  the 
fowls.  It  is  best  for  the  roosts  not  to  touch  the 
walls  of  the  house  at  any  place,  as  otherwise  lice 
and  mites  can  spread  all  over  the  building.  In  this 
event  it  becomes  impossible  to  totally  exterminate 
them ;  but  if  the  roosting  fixture  is  not  attached  to 
the  house  in  any  way  the  vermin  cannot  get  off  the 

58 


POULTRY   FIXTURES 

perches,  but  must  remain  and  can  easily  be  reached 
with  a  lice-killing  material.  Aside  from  this,  it  is 
quite  an  advantage  to  have  the  perches  so  that 
they  can  be  removed  to  the  outside  of  the  building 
and  thoroughly  cleaned  and  disinfected  several 
times  a  year. 

The  illustration,  "  A  Simple  and  Satisfactory 
Roost,"  shows  what  is  perhaps  the  most  easily 
constructed,  perfectly  satisfactory  type  of  roost 
the  author  ever  used.  There  certainly  are  not 
many  hiding  places  for  vermin  about  such  a  roost, 
it  can  be  made  by  almost  any  one  at  little  or  no 
expense,  and  may  be  moved  about  very  easily  and 
handily.  The  perches  are  eighteen  inches  above 
the  floor,  which  is  the  height  I  prefer  for  medium- 
sized  breeds;  perches  only  a  foot  or  so  high  are 
best  for  the  Asiatic  breeds,  while  the  Mediter- 
ranean varieties  like  to  perch  well  up  from  the 
floor.  The  best  space  to  leave  between  perches 
is  about  fourteen  inches. 

The  nest  boxes  should  be  large  enough  to  allow 
the  hen  plenty  of  room  to  change  her  position  while 
on  the  nest,  but  should  not  be  too 
large,  or  broken  eggs  will  result, 
which  may  lead  to  the  egg-eating  habit.  Eleven 
by  fourteen  inches  is  about  the  correct  size  for 
medium-sized  fowls,  and  other  breeds  in  propor- 
tion. Each  nest  should  be  separate  and  not  joined 
to  the  others,  as  this  facilitates  cleanliness  and 

59 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

makes  it  easier  to  get  after  lice  and  mites.  Soap 
boxes  or  similar  boxes,  which  any  one  can  secure 
of  the  family  grocer,  cost  little  and  are  perfectly 
satisfactory.  The  nest  boxes  may  be  of  any  rea- 
sonable depth,  but  if  more  than  six  or  eight  inches 
deep  it  is  best  to  have  one  side  partially  cut  away 
so  the  hens  can  enter  without  jumping  down  upon 
the  eggs  which  may  be  in  the  nest.  A  quiet, 
secluded  place  is  very  desirable  for  the  nests;  the 
hens  prefer  to  deposit  their  eggs  in  apparent  con- 
cealment, and  in  a  rather  dark  place  they  are  less 
likely  to  disturb  the  contents  of  the  nest  and  break 
the  eggs.  One  nest  for  every  three  or  four  hens  is 
sufficient. 

Nesting  Material.  I  like  excelsior  about  the 
best  of  anything  we  have  ever  used  for  nesting 
material,  and  advise  its  use.  Hay  and  straw 
(especially  the  former)  are  usually  too  coarse  and 
unyielding  to  be  comfortable  to  the  body  of  the 
hen.  Hay  chaff  makes  a  comfortable  nest,  but 
the  hens  are  liable  to  scratch  in  it  for  the  seeds 
it  contains.  Use  cedar  excelsior,  as  this  has  a 
tendency  to  keep  down  lice  and  mites.  The  old 
nesting  material  should  be  removed  every  few 
months  and  burned  and  replaced  with  fresh;  this 
not  only  keeps  the  nests  clean,  but  also  destroys 
vermin,  filth  and  vermin  being  detrimental  to  suc- 
cess with  poultry  business. 

Trap  Nests.  These  are  designed  to  distinguish 
60 


POULTRY   FIXTURES 

the  laying  from  the  non-laying  hens.  They  keep 
the  hen  imprisoned  when  she  goes  on  the  nest  until 
she  is  released  by  the  attendant.  These  nests  fur- 
nish the  only  certain  means  of  knowing  which  hen 
is  laying  and  how  many  eggs  she  lays  in  a  certain 
period  of  time.  The  best  of  these  nests  are  pat- 
ented, so  we  cannot  give  plans ;  but  they  may  be  in- 
stalled at  a  cost  of,  usually,  from  twenty-five  to  fifty 
cents  each.  Those  wishing  such  nests  will  find  them 
advertised  in  the  poultry  papers.  It  takes  a  little 
time  to  visit  the  nests  three  or  four  times  a  day,  but 
one  who  is  trying  to  build  up  a  laying  strain  will 
receive  ample  reward  for  all  labor  expended  in  this 
direction. 

Flocks,  each  hen  in  which  lays  two  hundred  or 
more  eggs  per  year,  have  been  made  possible  only 
by  careful  selection  of  the  breeding  stock,  through 
several  generations,  from  the  data  furnished  by 
trap-nest  records.  All  characteristics  and  qualities 
of  poultry  are  largely  matters  of  selection ;  this  is 
as  true  of  utility  or  market  qualities  as  of  fancy 
points.  Any  poultry  keeper  can,  in  the  course  of  a 
few  years,  establish  a  reputation  for  having  birds 
of  extra-large  size,  extra-good  layers,  or  extra-fine 
exhibition  stock,  if  only  he  will  breed  carefully  and 
judiciously  with  those  ends  in  view. 

Nest  Eggs  are  entirely  unnecessary  as  well  as 
undesirable,  unless  medicated  eggs  are  used  for 
the  purpose  of  keeping  down  vermin.  These  eggs 

61 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

are  made  of  materials  which  give  off  an  odor 
destructive  to  the  vermin  in  the  nest  and  on  the 
bodies  of  the  hens  which  frequent  the  nest. 

By  the  term  "  droppings  boards  "  is  meant  a 
platform  under  the  perches  to  catch  the  droppings 
Droppings  from  the  birds  while  on  the  roost  at 
Boards  night.  Droppings  boards  are  a  great 

convenience  in  a  well-kept  house ;  a  neglected  house 
is  better  without  them.  Where  the  droppings  are 
removed  every  morning  or  two  it  is  much  easier 
to  sweep  them  off  the  droppings  boards  into  a 
basket  or  bucket  than  it  is  to  shovel  them  up  off 
the  ground,  and  the  house  is  cleaner  afterward, 
because  every  particle  of  manure  may  be  removed 
from  the  boards.  But  if  the  droppings  are  allowed 
to  accumulate,  the  boards  become  saturated  with 
liquid  manure,  and,  being  necessarily  close  to  the 
perches,  they  make  bad  conditions  worse  and 
compel  the  fowls  to  breathe  impure,  foul-smelling 
air. 

The  best  droppings  boards  are  made  of  matched 
flooring,  or  any  other  material  that  is  smooth  on 
one  side.  The  platform  should  extend  beyond 
the  sides  of  the  roost  eight  or  ten  inches,  in  order 
that  all  the  droppings  may  be  secured  from  the 
fowls  on  the  outer,  perches.  For  a  single  perch  the 
board  should  be  about  twenty  inches  wide ;  for  two 
perches,  three  feet  wide.  A  two-  or  three-inch  strip 
had  best  be  placed  around  the  edge  of  the  platform 

62 


POULTRY   FIXTURES 

to  prevent  the  droppings  being  scattered  by  the 
fowls. 

The  height  of  the  droppings  boards  from  the 
floor  depends  largely  upon  whether  or  not  the  nests 
are  located  under  them.  At  any  rate  they  should 
not  be  more  than  two  feet  above  the  floor;  this 
makes  them  easier  to  sweep  off,  and  the  attendant 
is  compelled  to  breathe  less  dust  and  impure  air. 
The  perches  may  be  from  eight  to  fifteen  inches 
above  the  droppings  platform ;  a  foot  makes  a  nice 
height. 

Where  house  room  is  plentiful,  the  author 
would  recommend  the  use  of  separate  and  simple 
Hennery  roosts  and  nests,  as  these  are  not  only 
Outfits  cheaper  than  the  more  complicated 

"  Hennery  Outfits,"  but  are  more  easily  kept 
clean  and  free  from  vermin.  However,  where 
house  room  is  limited,  the  Hennery  Outfits,  which 
we  illustrate  in  this  connection,  may  be  used  to 
excellent  advantage,  as  they  are  compact  and  con- 
venient and  occupy  little  or  no  floor  space  when 
set  on  legs  as  in  the  illustrations. 

Both  of  the  fixtures  illustrated  were  factory- 
made.  Such  fixtues  are  usually  more  workman- 
like and  cost  little  more  than  it  does  for  one  to 
make  them  himself.  The  illustrations  show  the 
fixtures  attached  to  the  rear  wall  of  the  poultry 
house,  but  I  prefer  to  have  them  clear  of  the  wall 
by  at  least  a  few  inches  if  possible;  this  is  on  ac- 

63 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

count  of  fighting  vermin,  as  explained  early  in  this 
chapter.  My  personal  preference  is  for  the  hori- 
zontal droppings  board  rather  than  the  slanting 
one,  because  fowls  that  happen  to  fall  or  get 
pushed  off  the  perches  can  obtain  no  foothold  on 
a  slanting  platform,  but  must  slide  (through  drop- 
pings and  all)  until  the  horizontal  base  board  is 
reached. 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  wish  to  make  their 
own  fixtures,  the  dimensions  and  details  of  con- 
struction are  given  herewith.  The  nests  are  11x14 
inches  in  size,  inside  measurement.  The  fixtures 
illustrated  are  five  feet  in  length,  but  may  be  made 
any  convenient  length.  Any  number  of  perches 
may  be  used  on  the  fixture,  but  not  more  than  three 
are  desirable.  With  very  small  flocks,  sometimes 
only  one  perch  is  necessary.  A  fixture,  five  feet 
long  with  two  perches  will  accommodate  about  fif- 
teen medium-sized  birds — more  of  small  breeds, 
and  fewer  of  large  breeds.  As  a  rule  it  is  best  to 
have  the  fixture  long  and  narrow;  this  not  only 
gives  sufficient  length  in  the  fixture  in  which  to  con- 
struct all  the  nests  necessary  for  the  hens,  but  also 
conduces  to  the  good  health  of  the  fowls  while 
sleeping,  as  it  is  not  best  for  them  to  be  bunched 
up  in  too  concentrated  a  mass.  The  droppings 
boards  are  fourteen  inches  above  the  bottom  of 
nests,  allowing  the  hens  plenty  of  head  room  in  the 
nests. 

64 


POULTRY   FIXTURES 

All  wood  used  in  the  construction  of  fixtures 
should  be  as  light  as  possible  without  making  the 
outfit  flimsy ;  nests  and  the  partitions  between  them, 
as  well  as  the  droppings  boards,  had  best  be  made 
of  one-fourth  or  three-eights  inch  stuff,  together 
with  the  hinged  strip  in  front  which  laps  down  over 
the  tops  of  nests.  The  irons  connecting  the  perches 
are  one-half  inch  in  diameter,  and  swing  in  castings 
in  the  rear  so  that  they  may  be  raised  from  the 
front  and  hung  back  against  the  rear  wall  of  the 
house,  giving  a  clear  and  unobstructed  droppings 
board,  which  may  be  easily  swept  off. 

Food  hoppers  for  the  use  mentioned  in  Chapter 
Nine  can  be  made  at  home  or  purchased,  just  as 
the  poultry  keeper  desires.  If  home-made  they  cost 
Construction  1Ittle  or  nothing  except  the  labor  re- 
of  Self -Feeding  quired,  but  if  the  poultryman  has  no 
Hoppers  liking  for  manual  labor  he  can  get 

good  ones  made  of  galvanized  iron  or  tin  that  will 
be  more  durable  than  any  he  could  make  himself, 
as  well  as  affording  better  protection  to  the  feed  if 
they  are  to  be  used  outdoors.  Grocers  always  have 
an  abundance  of  small  boxes  lying  around,  and  it 
takes  very  little  labor  to  convert  these  into  efficient 
self-feeding  hoppers,  and  the  cost  is  practically 
nothing. 

The  principal  of  construction  can  be  readily  gath- 
ered from  the  accompanying  photographs.  The 
pictures  s'how  hoppers  having  several  compart- 

65 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

ments,  but  they  may  be  made  with  one  compartment 
or  several,  just  as  the  owner  prefers.  Of  course, 
the  larger  the  hopper  the  less  frequently  it  will 
have  to  be  filled.  For  small  chicks  they  may  hold 
only  a  few  quarts,  but  for  adult  fowls  it  is  more 
economical  to  have  them  hold  a  bushel  or  one  hun- 
dred pounds  of  feed,  and  then  they  will  not  need 
to  be  filled  so  frequently.  In  the  latter  event  they 
should  be  made  three  or  four  feet  high,  and  then 
they  will  not  occupy  so  much  floor  space. 

The  hoppers  are  replenished  with  feed  from 
openings  in  their  tops,  or  the  entire  top  may  be 
hinged  if  convenient.  The  base  board  at  the  bot- 
tom of  hopper  should  be  high  enough  to  prevent 
waste  of  feed,  but  also  low  enough  that  the  birds 
may  eat  conveniently.  It  may  vary  in  height  from 
two  to  four  or  five  inches,  according  to  the  size  of 
the  birds.  The  trough  at  the  bottom  and  front  of 
hopper,  and  out  of  which  the  birds  pick  the  food, 
should  not  be  deep  enough  (that  is,  extend  back 
far  enough)  to  allow  the  fowls  to  get  their  feet 
in  it  and  scratch  the  food  out,  or  to  allow  small 
chicks  to  crawl  entirely  into  the  receptacle,  but 
should  allow  plenty  of  room  for  the  bird's  head. 

Pans  and  troughs  are  unsatisfactory  and  away 
behind  the  times  as  drinking  vessels  for  poultry. 
Drinking  The  regular  drinking  fountains  are 
Vessels  better  in  every  way;  they  reduce  the 

labor  of  the  attendant  because  they  do  not  require 

66 


POULTRY   FIXTURES 

so  frequent  filling  or  so  much  attention  with  regard 
to  cleanliness,  because  it  is  next  to  impossible  for 
the  fowls  to  foul  the  water  if  the  fountains  are 
properly  arranged  and  located,  and  they  also  pre- 
vent fowls  from  becoming  wet  and  soiling  their 
plumage,  or  little  chicks  from  drowning.  They 
come  in  various  designs,  shapes  and  sizes;  we  illus- 
trate several  patterns  that  have  given  us  excellent 
service  here  on  the  Buff  Rock  Farm,  but  there  are 
many  other  good  ones. 

The  one-quart  size  is  the  best  to  start  little  chicks 
with,  and  then  the  size  may  be  increased  as  the 
chicks  grow  and  require  more  and  more  water. 
The  one-gallon  size  will  need  filling  but  once  a  day 
for  fifteen  or  twenty  fowls,  and  that  or  a  larger 
size  saves  labor  when  used  for  adult  fowls  or  large 
young  stock. 

There  are  also  on  the  market  now  several  styles 
of  fountains  which  allow  the  use  of  a  lamp 
under  them  during  cold  weather,  and  thus  the 
water  may  be  prevented  from  freezing  and 
will  be  comfortable  to  the  fowls  all  day  long. 
This  is  an  especial  advantage  to  the  man  whose 
business  or  other  duties  keeps  him  away  from  his 
fowls  except  of  mornings  and  evenings.  Those 
who  are  in  the  market  for  something  of  this  kind 
should  visit  or  correspond  with  a  poultry  supply 
house. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  specially  mentioned 
67 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

appliances  and  devices  there  are  numerous  other 
Miscellaneous  ones,  although  some  of  them  are 
Equipment  designed  principally  for  the  large 
breeder  and  do  not  come  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  this  book;  they  include  bone  cutters,  feed 
cookers,  feed  mixers,  grit  crushers,  hay  cutters,  etc. 
Grit  crushers  enable  the  operator  to  make  his  own 
grit,  and  this  is  economical  in  some  sections  of  the 
country,  where  a  natural  supply  of  satisfactory 
sharp  stones  and  gravel  is  available.  Hay  cutters 
enable  the  owner  to  cut  his  own  clover  or  alfalfa 
into  short  lengths,  thus  furnishing  an  excellent  sup- 
ply of  green  food  for  the  winter  months.  Green- 
bone  cutters  (not  bone  mills,  which  are  for  grind- 
ing dry  bones  and  are  of  little  value)  are  discussed 
in  another  chapter. 


68 


A  nest  perfectly  satisfactory  to  both  hen  and   attendant 
Made  from  a  grocery  box  costing  five  cents 


A  simple  and  satisfactory  roost 


be 


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I 
1 

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T3 


INCUBATORS   AND    BROODERS 


CHAPTER    VI 

INCUBATORS   AND   BROODERS 

EVERY  poultry  keeper  who  raises  more  than 
two  or  three  hundred  chickens  each  year 
now  takes  it  for  granted  that  one  or  more 
incubators  and  brooders  are  to  be  a  part  of  his 
equipment.  So  far  as  the  author  is  concerned,  I 
Merits  of  Arti-  would  not  give  up  incubators  and 
ficial  Methods  brooders  if  I  were  going  to  hatch  only 
of  Hatching  Qne  hundred  chicks  a  year,  and  I  am 
perfectly  sincere  in  believing  that  an  incubator  and 
brooder  would  be  a  good  investment  for  every  one 
who  raises  that  number  or  a  greater  number  of 
chickens  annually. 

Artificial  incubation  and  brooding  are  no  longer 
experiments;  the  best  of  the  machines  on  the  mar- 
ket to-day  have  proven,  in  the  hands  of  practical 
poultry  keepers  the  country  over,  that  they  are 
capable  of  giving  every  bit  as  satisfactory  results 
as  the  old  hen  herself,  and  of  doing  it,  too,  with 
less  bother  and  annoyance.  However,  the  incu- 
bator or  brooder  that  can  beat  the  old  hen  at  her 
own  game  has  not  yet  been  invented,  and  probably 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

never  will,  aside  from  the  fact  that  machines  are 
always  ready  for  business  and  are  not  inclined  to 
any  sudden  flights  of  fancy  like  an  old  hen,  and 
consequently  do  not  refuse  to  sit  at  a  critical  time 
nor  do  they  trample  and  kill  the  little  chicks. 

The  expense  of  operating  an  incubator  is  slight, 
and  the  time  and  labor  required  are  of  no  great 
consequence,  and  certainly  are  much  less  than  that 
which  would  be  required  to  look  after  broody  hens 
attending  to  the  same  number  of  eggs.  Our  expe- 
rience has  been  that,  on  the  average,  it  requires 
four  or  five  gallons  of  oil  to  run  a  24<>egg  capacity 
machine  one  hatch,  and  three  or  four  gallons  for  a 
i2O-egg  machine  in  moderately  cold  weather;  in 
warm  weather  it  takes  much  less. 

There  is  nothing  tedious  or  irksome  connected 
with  the  operating  of  a  good  incubator.  The  only 
care  a  good  machine  requires  is  keeping  the  lamp 
filled  and  the  wick  trimmed,  turning  the  eggs  morn- 
ing and  evening,  and  looking  at  the  thermometer 
two  or  three  times  a  day  to  see  that  the  correct  heat 
is  being  maintained,  which  is  103°.  To  be  sure, 
some  of  the  machines  on  the  market,  that  are  more 
cheaply  constructed,  require  more  close  and  con- 
stant attention  than  this ;  but  this  is  not  the  kind  of 
machine  to  buy,  because  with  incubators,  as  with 
everything  else,  "  the  best  is  always  the  cheapest." 
We  never  allow  our  incubators  to  interfere  with 
our  sleep,  or  to  prevent  us  from  going  visiting  of 

72 


INCUBATORS   AND   BROODERS 

Sundays,  because  with  a  standard  make  of  machine 
such  close  and  constant  attention  as  this  is  not 
necessary. 

There  is  more  than  one  good  make  on  the 
market.  The  beginner  should  consider  the  expe- 
rience of  those  who  have  tried  different  machines. 
Don't  pay  much  attention  to  testimonials  report- 
ing 1 00%  hatches,  but  get  a  machine  that  has 
given  satisfaction  on  the  large,  successful  poultry 
farms.  This  is  the  very  best  advice  I  can  give  to 
the  man  who  knows  nothing  about  it  himself. 

The  small  poultry  keeper  is  in  a  position  to  profit 
as  much,  accordingly,  by  the  use  of  incubators  and 
brooders  as  the  larger  breeder.  With  a  small  flock 
it  frequently  occurs  that  scarcely  any  eggs  are 
received  at  times  when  the  greater  part  of  the 
flock  are  sitting  or  want  to  sit;  or,  if  he  has  a 
non-sitting  breed,  he  has  to  either  use  an  incubator 
or  buy  broody  hens,  and  the  machine  is  certainly 
preferable. 

Here  are  several  points  of  advantage  of 
machines  over  hens  which  the  small  breeder  will 
do  well  to  observe :  Broody  hens  may  be  "  broken 
up  "  immediately  and  started  to  laying  again  in  a 
week  or  two;  it  is  absolutely  true  that  it  is  easier 
to  attend  to  an  incubator  and  brooder  than  it  is 
to  look  after  a  half-dozen  or  more  fussy  old  hens, 
which  are  always  untrustworthy  and  never  pleasant 
to  handle  nor  easy  to  manage;  the  chicks  are  all 

73 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

the  same  age  and  size,  and  may  all  be  kept  in  one 
flock  with  a  great  saving  in  time  and  labor;  and 
machine-raised  chicks  are  decidedly  easier  to  keep 
free  from  lice. 

It  is  always  best  for  the  beginner  to  follow 
closely  the  instructions  sent  along  with  the  machine 
Instructions  ne  'ls  us'mg>  because  different  makes 
for  Operating  of  machines,  different  locations,  and 
Incubators  different  climatic  conditions  require 
vastly  different  methods  of  operation ;  and  the  man- 
ufacturer of  your  machine  ought  to  know  better 
than  anybody  else  how  to  operate  it  for  best  results. 

There  are,  however,  a  few  general  principles 
which  may  be  laid  down  that  will  hold  good  with 
every  make  of  machine  and  in  every  climate,  and 
which  sometimes  are  not  found  in  incubator  instruc- 
tion books,  even  though  they  are  important  to  one 
who  has  never  had  experience. 

Make  sure  that  your  thermometer  registers  ex- 
actly correct.  Test  it  at  the  beginning  of  each 
hatching  season  with  a  physician's  thermometer. 
This  may  be  done  by  holding  the  two  instruments 
in  a  pan  of  water  and  stirring  gently  and  steadily 
to  keep  the  temperature  of  the  water  uniform.  A 
half  degree  variation  in  the  thermometer  may  ruin 
a  hatch.  New  thermometers  sometimes  are  imper- 
fect, and  old  ones  will  occasionally  show  a  slight 
variation  from  one  season  to  the  next. 

Have  the  incubator  setting  perfectly  level,  as 
74 


INCUBATORS   AND   BROODERS 

otherwise  the  distribution  of  heat  and  ventilation 
to  the  various  parts  of  the  egg  chamber  will  be 
unequal. 

No  oil  should  be  used  in  the  lamp  that  does  not 
test  150  degrees  or  higher;  by  observing  this  re- 
quirement much  smoke,  soot,  fumes  and  gas  will 
be  avoided,  all  of  which  are  very  undesirable  in 
incubation. 

It  is  best  not  to  turn  or  cool  the  eggs  until  the 
third  day.  After  that  they  should  be  turned  at 
least  twice  a  day.  They  should  be  neither  turned 
nor  cooled  after  the  first  egg  is  pipped. 

The  best  hatches  are  completed  inside  of 
eighteen  hours  from  the  time  the  first  egg  is  pipped. 

If  the  proper  temperature  has  been  maintained 
right  along,  the  hatch  should  be  all  cleaned  up  by 
the  morning  of  the  twenty-first  day. 

Too  high  a  temperature  will  quicken  the  hatch, 
while  too  low  a  temperature  will  prolong  it. 

After  each  hatch,  and  before  a  new  hatch  is 
started,  give  the  egg  chamber  a  thorough  cleaning 
and  disinfecting.  Thoroughly  clean  the  heater  and 
scour  the  burner.  Use  a  new  wick  for  each  hatch. 

With  a  standard  make  of  machine  the  location 
does  not  make  so  very  much  difference.  The  small 
poultry  keeper  often  cannot  afford  to  have  a  spe- 
cially constructed  incubator  cellar,  but  these  are 
necessary  only  where  a  number  of  machines  are 
operated,  and  the  man  who  has  only  one  or  two 

75 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

machines  can  secure  about  as  good  results  with 
them  located  in  one  of  the  rooms  of  his  dwelling. 
A  cellar  makes  a  very  good  place  for  the  location 
of  the  machine,  providing  it  is  dry  and  well  venti- 
lated; a  damp,  musty  cellar  is  the  poorest  place 
possible  for  successful  incubation.  There  are  only 
two  rooms  in  the  ordinary  house  in  which  we  would 
not  want  to  run  an  incubator  on  account  of  results, 
viz.,  a  room  with  a  fire  in,  because  the  hatches 
would  probably  be  poor;  a  bedroom,  because  the 
fumes  and  gases  from  the  machine  would  make  the 
atmosphere  unhealthy  to  sleep  in. 

A  good  brooder  is  every  bit  as  important  as  a 
good  incubator,  if  not  more  so,  for  the  reason  that 
Construction  'lt  'ls  more  difficult  to  raise  chicks  than 
and  Operation  to  hatch  them,  and  it  is  the  number  of 
of  Brooders  chicks  raised,  and  not  the  number 
hatched,  that  makes  or  unmakes  the  profit.  A  poor 
brooder  will  kill  the  chicks  faster  than  a  good  incu- 
bator can  hatch  them. 

A  good  brooder  is  considerably  more  than 
merely  a  box  with  a  lamp  set  inside  it,  and  sells  for 
more  money.  Many  beginners  seem  to  have  the 
idea  that  any  kind  of  an  arrangement  will  serve 
the  purpose  of  a  brooder  very  well,  so  long  as 
it  keeps  the  chicks  reasonably  warm.  The  more 
experience  one  has,  however,  the  more  he  realizes 
what  a  serious  mistake  this  is,  and  the  more  he 
appreciates  what  a  really  good  brooder  means 

76 


INCUBATORS   AND   BROODERS 

toward  his  success.  As  a  rule,  home-made  brooders 
are  unreliable,  and  I  could  not  think  of  recom- 
mending them. 

A  point  that  I  have  found  to  be  very  impor- 
tant, and  which  is  often  overlooked  in  brooder  con- 
struction, is  that  of  having  a  sufficiently  large 
amount  of  glass  in  the  walls  or  top  to  allow  an 
abundance  of  light  and  sunshine  to  enter  into  the 
brooder.  Chicks  will  stand  around  outside  in  the 
rain  or  cold  rather  than  go  into  a  poorly-lighted 
and  ill-ventilated  place.  See  that  the  brooder  is 
well  ventilated;  pure,  fresh  air  is  very  essential  to 
rugged  health  and  strong  vitality  in  chicks. 

While  the  floor  of  the  brooder  should  be  up  off 
the  ground  several  inches,  those  that  are  set  up  on 
legs,  leaving  an  open  space  underneath  through 
which  the  cold  wind  may  blow  at  will,  are  very 
undesirable.  This  is  especially  true  if  they  are  to 
be  operated  outdoors  or  in  a  cold  building;  for 
then  it  becomes  an  extremely  difficult  matter  to 
maintain  an  even  temperature  in  them,  and  an 
excessively  large  amount  of  heat  is  required  to  keep 
them  sufficiently  warm.  Also,  it  is  a  pretty  difficult 
matter  to  teach  chicks  to  go  up  and  down  a  step- 
ladder  every  time  they  go  in  or  out  of  the  brooder. 


77 


BREEDS    DESCRIBED 


CHAPTER    VII 

BREEDS   DESCRIBED 

A"  L   standard-bred    poultry    is    divided    into 
"  classes,"  of  which  the  most  common  in 
America  (because  the  most  practical)   are 
known   as   the  American,   Asiatic   and   Mediter- 
ranean classes.     Four  other  common  classes  are 
Classification    tne    English,    Games,    French,    and 
of  the  Varieties  Bantams.     All    breeds    that   do   not 
of  Fowl  come  under  one  of  the  classes  named 

are  prized  mostly  as  novelties  and  are  more  or  less 
impractical  and  undesirable  for  American  purposes. 
In  the  following  descriptions  a  few  terms  may 
call  for  explanation.  For  instance,  the  words 
"  sitters  "  and  "  non-sitters."  Many  of  the  egg 
breeds  have  been  bred  for  eggs  so  exclusively  and 
continuously  that  they  now  very  rarely  exhibit  a 
desire  to  incubate,  and  these  are  called  the  non- 
sitting  varieties.  Where  we  have  applied  the  term 
"  sitters  "  we  do  not  mean  to  imply  that  the  hens 
are  especially  persistent  in  desiring  to  incubate,  but 
merely  show  the  natural  instinct  to  reproduce. 

81 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

All  eggs  are  classed  broadly  as  "  white "  or 
"  brown,"  but  there  really  are  many  shades  and 
tints  of  color,  and  some  eggs  are  so  nearly  inter- 
mediate that  they  would  be  hard  to  place  in  either 
class.  The  Mediterranean  breeds  seldom  depart 
from  their  usual  white  or  very  light-tinted  eggs; 
but  the  brown-egg  hens  frequently  lay  eggs  that  in 
color  vary  from  deep  brown  to  light  flesh  color. 
Other  things  being  equal,  the  hen  whose  eggs  are 
truest  to  type  in  color  is  the  most  desirable, 
although  a  variation  in  color  of  the  egg  shells  does 
not  necessarily  imply  impure  breeding. 


THE  AMERICAN  CLASS 

In  this  class  are  found  the  general-purpose 
breeds  of  America,  the  most  important  of  which 
are  the  Plymouth  Rocks  and  the  Wyandottes, 
although  for  the  last  few  years  the  Rhode  Island 
Reds  have  been  well  up  in  the  front  ranks.  All 
three  of  these  families  are  very  hardy,  lay  brown 
eggs,  are  good  sitters  and  mothers;  grain  and 
flavor  of  flesh  excellent.  They  also  stand  confine- 
ment well,  but  are  good  foragers  when  they  have 
the  range.  They  average  about  the  same  with 
regard  to  egg  production,  but  the  Plymouth  Rocks 
have  the  advantage  of  the  largest  size,  Rhode 
Island  Reds  next,  and  Wyandottes  last. 

82 


BREEDS    DESCRIBED 

There  are  three  standard  varieties  in  the  Plym- 
outh Rock  family,  viz.,  the  Barred,  White,  and 
Plymouth  Buff.  With  all  of  them  the  comb  is 
Rocks  single  and  serrated,  and  medium  to 

small  in  size;  the  ear-lobes  are  red,  while  the  skin, 
beak,  legs  and  toes  should  be  of  a  deep-yellow 
color.  The  bodies  are  well  balanced  with  regard 
to  shape  and  symmetry,  being  of  neither  a  blocky 
nor  an  angular  type.  Standard  weights  are,  cock, 
9>2  pounds;  cockerel,  8  pounds;  hen,  7^  pounds; 
pullet,  6K  pounds. 

Barred  Plymouth  Rocks.  Breeds  may  come  and 
breeds  may  go,  but  it  will  be  a  long  time  before 
one  of  them  usurps  the  prestige  of  the  Barred 
Rock  in  America.  For  years  they  have  stood  at 
the  head  of  the  procession,  and  to-day  it  is  very 
probable  that  there  are  more  Barred  Plymouth 
Rock  chickens  in  this  country  than  of  any  two 
other  breeds,  on  account  of  the  large  numbers  of 
them  to  be  found  on  the  farms.  The  bars  on 
feathers  should  be  narrow  and  parallel  and  alter- 
nately white  and  bluish-black  in  color.  The  dou- 
ble-mating system*  is  generally  used  in  breeding 
exhibition  Barred  Rocks,  and  considerable  skill  is 
required  in  breeding  this  variety  for  fancy  points, 
owing  to  the  difficulty  in  getting  the  proper  shade 
of  color  and  correct  markings  of  plumage. 

*By  "  double  mating"  is  meant  the  use  of  two  separate  matings  to  pro- 
duce birds  of  standard  color  and  markings  in  each  of  the  two  sexes. 

83 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

White  Plymouth  Rocks.  Have  the  same  gen- 
eral characteristics  as  the  other  Plymouth  Rocks, 
and  in  addition  are  the  easiest  to  breed  true  to 
color  of  any  variety  in  this  family.  The  only  diffi- 
culty is  in  getting  the  plumage  pure  white,  with- 
out any  brassiness  or  creaminess,  and  the  skin  and 
legs  a  deep  yellow  color;  it  is  a  rather  difficult 
combination,  but  careful  breeding  for  the  past 
few  years  has  accomplished  much. 

Buff  Plymouth  Rocks.  The  latest  standard 
addition  to  the  Plymouth  Rock  family,  and  the 
most  popular  buff  breed  in  the  American  field  to- 
day. As  in  all  buff  varieties,  the  desired  color  is  a 
uniform  shade  of  rich,  golden  buff,  free  from 
black  and  white,  although  either  of  these  two 
colors  appearing  in  wings  or  tails  is  not  a  dis- 
qualification, owing  to  the  scarcity  of  absolutely 
solid-colored  specimens. 

Columbian  Plymouth  Rocks.  Bred  only  in 
small  numbers  as  yet  and  exclusively  in  the  hands 
of  fanciers.  Not  yet  recognized  as  a  "  standard  " 
variety,  but  will  doubtless  be  very  popular  when 
more  nearly  perfected,  as  they  combine  the  unex- 
celled utility  qualities  of  the  Plymouth  Rock  with 
the  beautiful  color  and  markings  of  the  Light 
Brahma. 

There  are  also  the  Silver  and  the  Partridge  Ply- 
mouth Rocks,  but  these  are  neither  common  nor 
"  standard." 

84 


White  Wyandotte  Male  and  Female 


White  Plymouth  Rock  Male  and  Female 


Buff  Wyandotte  Male 


Buff  Wyandotte  Female 


Silver  Laced  Wyandotte  Male 


Silver  Laced  Wyandotte  Female 


-\ 


II 


Rose  Comb  Rhode  Island  Red  Male 


Single  Comb  Rhode  Island  Red  Female 


Light  Brahma  Male  and  Female 
, 


Black  Langshan  Male  and  Female 


Buff  Cochin  Male 


"mff^mf^1' 

Buff  Cochin  Female 


Single  Comb  White  Leghorn  Male 


IB 


Single  Comb  White  Leghorn  Female 


Silver  Spangled  Hamburg  Female 


~~~^fc*.«^^*ffc 


Courtesy  of  G.  L.  Preston 


Silver  Spangled  Hamburg  Male 


Buff  Orpington  Male 


Buff  Orpington  Female 


Courtesy  of  Walter  F.  Knutzen 

Cornish  Indian  Game 


BREEDS   DESCRIBED 

The  distinguishing  characteristics  of  the  Wyan- 
dottes  are  the  chunky,  blocky  body  and  the  small, 
neat  rose  combs.  Ear-lobes  are  red; 
beak,  skin  and  legs  a  deep  yellow. 
Standard  weights,  cock,  %l/2  pounds;  cockerel,  yj4 
pounds;  hen,  6^2  pounds;  pullet,  5^/2  pounds. 
The  most  common  varieties  in  this  popular  family 
are  the  White,  Columbian,  Buff,  and  Silver,  in  the 
order  named.  There  are  also  the  Golden  Wyan- 
dotte,  the  Partridge  Wyandotte,  and  the  Black 
Wyandotte. 

White  Wyandottes.  This  is  probably  the  most 
popular  breed  of  white  fowls  in  America.  They 
are  also  the  most  formidable  competitor  for  first 
honors  that  the  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  has  had  to 
date.  They  are  not  especially  hard  to  breed  true, 
and  combine  beauty  and  utility  to  a  marked  degree. 

Buff  Wyandottes.  The  Buff  Wyandotte,  like  the 
Buff  Rock,  is  a  comparatively  recent  addition  to 
the  standard,  but  is  becoming  popular.  The  same 
general  remarks  with  regard  to  plumage,  disqual- 
ifications, etc.,  as  stated  with  regard  to  Buff  Rocks, 
also  apply  with  the  Buff  Wyandottes.  All  fowls 
with  buff  plumage  and  yellow  skin  have  the  advan- 
tage of  inconspicuous  pinfeathers  when  dressed  for 
market 

Silver-Laced  Wyandottes.  A  beautiful  and 
fairly  popular  variety.  Their  plumage  is  silvery 
white,  but  each  feather  has  a  black  stripe  which 

85 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

tapers  to  a  fine  point  near  the  extremity  of  the 
feather. 

Golden-Laced  Wyandottes  are  the  same  as  the 
Silver-Laced,  except  that  golden  bay  takes  the  place 
of  white  in  their  plumage. 

Silver-Penciled  Wyandottes  have  the  same  kind 
of  plumage  as  the  Dark  Brahma.  This  variety,  as 
well  as  the  Laced,  are  beautiful  and  practical  fowls. 

Partridge  Wyandottes  have  the  same  color  and 
markings  as  the  Partridge  Cochin. 

Black  Wyandottes  are  black  in  all  sections  and 
are  rarely  bred. 

Columbian  Wyandottes.  The  latest  addition  to 
the  Wyandotte  family.  Immensely  popular  from 
the  start,  mostly  because  they  deserve  it,  but  partly 
because  of  the  craze  for  new  varieties.  In  color 
they  are  counterparts  of  the  old  Light  Brahma; 
otherwise  they  do  not  differ  from  the  other  varie- 
ties of  'Dottes. 

Rhode  Island  Reds  are  not  a  strictly  "  new  " 
breed,  but  they  have  been  recognized  in  the  Amer- 
Rhode  Island  ^can  Standard  of  Perfection  for  only 
Reds  a  comparatively  few  years.  They 

are  a  general-purpose  breed;  fair  layers  of  brown 
eggs;  medium  in  size,  sitters.  Standard  weights, 
cock,  8j4  pounds;  cockerel,  yj^  pounds;  hen, 
6l/2  pounds;  pullet,  5  pounds.  There  are  both 
rose-combed  and  single-combed  varieties,  the  lat- 
ter being  the  most  common. 

86 


BREEDS    DESCRIBED 

At  first  the  Reds  were  only  locally  popular,  as 
their  name  would  indicate,  but  now  they  are  bred 
quite  generally.  In  hardiness  and  other  general 
qualities,  these  fowls  average  about  the  same  as  the 
other  American  breeds,  which  is  equivalent  to  say- 
ing that  they  are  an  excellent  fowl.  In  color  they 
are  mostly  of  a  reddish  buff,  but  black  is  called  for 
in  tails  and  wings. 

The  Buckeyes  are  attaining  more  or  less  prom- 
inence, but  they,  like  the  Reds  formerly  were,  are 
still  a  local  breed,  as  their  name  indicates.  They 
are  hardy  and  good  layers  of  brown  eggs,  but  the 
beginner  had  best  select  an  established  and  well- 
advertised  breed.  For  this  reason  we  omit  mention 
of  a  number  of  more  or  less  prominent  but  compar- 
atively untried  breeds. 

The  American  Dominiques  are  a  very  old  breed 
and  one  time  quite  popular,  but  were  superseded  by 
the  Barred  Rocks,  which  resemble  them  in  color 
and  are  the  more  desirable  in  several  respects. 

The  Java  family  has  two  varieties,  the  Black 
and  the  Mottled.  The  latter  are  black  and  white 
in  color,  while  the  former  are  solid  black.  This  is 
also  an  old  breed,  but  now  "  out-of-date,"  as  it 
were,  and  rarely  bred. 


AMERICAN   POULTRY   CULTURE 

THE  ASIATIC  CLASS 

Light  Brahmas.  This  is  the  largest  breed  of 
chickens  there  is.  They  are  a  strictly  meat  breed 

and  especially  good  for  roasters  and 
Brahmas  ,  J  ,     .. 

capons.     They  are  docile  and  stand 

confinement  well ;  fair  layers  of  large  brown  eggs, 
rather  persistent  sitters.  Their  low  pea  combs  and 
heavy  feathering  of  both  body  and  shanks  enable 
them  to  stand  exceedingly  cold  weather,  and  they 
usually  lay  a  large  portion  of  their  eggs  in  the 
winter  time.  Standard  weights  are,  cock,  12 
pounds;  cockerel,  10  pounds;  hen,  9^2  pounds; 
pullet,  8  pounds. 

Dark  Brahmas  have  the  same  general  char- 
acteristics and  nature  as  the  Light  Brahma,  but 
are  not  so  widely  bred.  Standard  weights  are, 
cock,  ii  pounds;  cockerel,  9  pounds;  hen,  8^2 
pounds;  pullet,  7  pounds.  In  color  they  are 
white,  gray  and  black  combined,  and  their  deli- 
cately penciled  and  marked  plumage  is  exceedingly 
pretty  when  bred  to  standard  requirements,  but  if 
allowed  to  deteriorate  becomes  most  disagreeable 
and  unsatisfactory  to  the  breeder.  They  are  good 
for  dirty  or  smoky  cities  and  towns,  as  they  will 
not  readily  show  soot  and  dirt.  For  beauty  they 
are  often  preferred  to  the  Light  Brahmas,  but  the 
latter  have  the  call  when  it  comes  to  practical 
purposes. 

88 


BREEDS    DESCRIBED 

The  Cochins  are  hardy  and  easily  raised,  as  well 
as  the  least  restless  of  all  breeds  in  confinment. 
They  are  fair  layers  of  brown  eggs; 
persistent  sitters.  Have  single  combs, 
which  are  serrated,  and  small  to  medium  in 
size;  ear-lobes  red;  bodies  and  shanks  heavily 
feathered,  more  so  than  the  Brahmas,  which  are 
preferred  to  the  Cochins  by  most  people.  Stand- 
ard weights,  cock,  1 1  pounds ;  cockerel,  9  pounds ; 
hen,  8^  pounds;  pullet,  7  pounds.  Color  of  skin 
and  legs,  yellow. 

There  are  four  varieties  of  Cochins — Buff,  Par- 
tridge, White,  and  Black.  The  latter  two  are 
rarely  bred.  The  Buffs  are  the  most  popular 
variety — in  fact,  the  only  variety  that  could  really 
be  called  popular  at  all,  as  the  Partridge  are  not 
bred  extensively.  The  Buffs  are  usually  consid- 
ered as  having  the  most  pleasing  plumage,  and 
breed  more  true  to  feather.  The  color  combina- 
tion of  the  Partridge  Cochin  is  much  after  the 
pattern  of  the  Dark  Brahma,  but  the  color  is  red 
and  brown  and  black,  instead  of  the  steel-gray 
effect  of  the  Brahmas. 

There  are  both  White  and  Black  Langshans, 
but  specimens  of  the  former  variety  are  rare,  be- 
cause there  are  too  many  other  good 
white  breeds.  The  Black  Langshans 
are  well  suited  to  dirty  or  smoky  locations,  where 
the  plumage  of  a  light-colored  bird  would  soon 

89 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

become  ruined,  but  they  are  not  popular  as  market 
birds  on  account  of  their  white  skin,  feathered 
shanks  and  black  pinfeathers.  They  are  fairly 
hardy;  good  layers  of  brown  eggs;  sitters; 
combs  single  and  medium  in  size;  shanks  and  toes 
feathered.  Standard  weights,  cock,  10  pounds; 
cockerel,  8  pounds;  hen,  7  pounds;  pullet,  6 
pounds. 

THE  MEDITERRANEAN  CLASS 

This  is  the  only  class  in  the  Standard  rivaling  the 
American  class  in  popularity  in  this  country. 
Their  chief  excellence  lies  in  the  great  number  of 
eggs  they  produce,  the  most  prolific  breeds  in 
existence  being  in  this  class.  There  are  five 
Mediterranean  breeds — Leghorns,  Minorcas,  An- 
dalusians,  Spanish,  and  Anconas.  They  are  all 
noted  for  the  size  of  their  combs,  their  trimly  built 
bodies,  stately  bearing  and  extreme  alertness. 

The  Leghorns  are  characterized  by  rather  small 
size,  yellow  skin  and  legs,  white  ear-lobes,  and 

great  activity  and  sprightliness.     All 
Leghorns  .     .  /•     ,       T       i  1        i 

varieties  of  the  Leghorns  are  hardy 

and  very  prolific.  It  is  a  rare  thing  for  a  well-bred 
Leghorn  female  to  become  broody,  and  they  there- 
fore are  especially  valuable  as  egg-producers.  The 
average  flock  of  Leghorns  will  produce  from  150 
to  200  eggs  each  per  year,  while  in  special  instances 
hens  have  laid  more  than  250  eggs  per  year. 

90 


BREEDS    DESCRIBED 

Pullets  commence  laying  at  four  or  five  months  of 
age,  and  all  varieties  lay  a  snow-white  egg  of  good 
size. 

There  are  seven  varieties,  the  Single-comb  Brown, 
Rose-comb  Brown,  Single-comb  White,  Rose-comb 
White,  Single-comb  Buff,  Single-comb  Black,  and 
the  Silver  Duckwing.  All  are  identical  except  in 
color.  The  rose-combed  varieties  are  probably  the 
best  for  very  cold  climates,  as  their  combs  are 
smaller  and  lie  closer  to  the  head  of  the  bird,  and 
therefore  will  not  become  frosted  so  easily;  how- 
ever, the  single-combed  varieties  are  the  most 
common  in  all  climates.  The  single-combed  birch 
are  usually  considered  the  more  attractive  appear- 
ing, and  all  they  need  to  be  good  winter  layers  is 
comfortable  housing  and  good  management. 

The  Single-comb  White  Leghorn  is  the  most 
widely  bred  of  any.  The  next  in  order  is  tihe  Single- 
comb  Brown,  while  the  Single-comb  Buff  would 
probably  come  in  third,  with  the  Rose-comb 
Browns  fourth.  Black  and  Silver  Duckwing  Leg- 
horns are  comparatively  rare.  Leghorns  have  no 
standard  weights,  the  larger  birds  being  given  the 
preference.  When  bred  to  a  good  size  they  make 
a  very  fair  broiler,  as  the  young  stock  grow  rap- 
idly and  feather  out  very  quickly. 

Minorcas   are  noted   for  "  large " 
Mmorcas  ,  .  ,_,.  .       .  .& 

things.     I  hey  are  the  largest  of  the 

Mediterranean  breeds  and  have  the  largest  combs 

9i 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

and  lay  the  largest  eggs  of  any  breed  in  existence. 
They  also  are  very  prolific,  rivaling  the  Leghorns 
in  this  respect,  and  are  not  quite  so  wild  and  nerv- 
ous as  the  Leghorns.  Their  bodies  are  long;  wat- 
tles of  a  very  large  size ;  ear-lobes  large  and  white ; 
a  non-sitting  breed;  legs  dark-colored,  and  skin 
pinkish-white  or  flesh-colored,  and  therefore  the 
breed  is  not  well  adapted  to  American  market 
purposes. 

There  are  three  varieties  in  the  Minorca  fam- 
ily— the  Single-comb  Black,  the  Rose-comb  Black, 
and  the  Single-comb  White.  The  latter  are  com- 
paratively rare,  and  they  are  a  "  sport "  from  the 
first.  Single-comb  Black  Minorcas  are  the  best 
and  most  popular  variety,  and  they  have  almost 
the  same  size  as  the  Plymouth  Rocks,  the  standard 
weights  being,  cock,  9  pounds;  cockerel,  7^/2 
pounds;  hen,  7^  pounds;  pullet,  6l/2  pounds. 
Standard  weights  of  the  Single-comb  White  and 
the  Rose-comb  Black  Minorcas  are,  cock,  8  pounds; 
cockerel,  6y2  pounds;  hen,  6^2  pounds;  pullet, 
$l/2  pounds. 

Hamburgs.  Among  practical  poultrymen  this 
breed  is  not  rated  so  high  as  the  Leghorns,  but 

many  people  prefer  to  keep  the  Ham- 
Hamburgs          .  t  i  i 

burgs  because  they  appeal  to  them  as 

more  attractive  and  pleasing  to  the  eye.  They 
have  rose  combs  like  those  of  the  rose-comb  varie- 
ties of  the  Leghorns;  are  just  as  prolific  layers  as 

92 


BREEDS    DESCRIBED 

the  Leghorns,  but  while  the  egg  is  very  pretty  and 
snow-white  in  color,  it  is  considerably  smaller  than 
a  Leghorn  egg.  The  birds  average  a  pound  or  so 
lighter  in  weight  than  the  Leghorns,  but  have  no 
Standard  weights.  Besides  being  too  small  for 
market  purposes,  their  white  skin  and  leaden-blue- 
colored  legs  are  against  them.  The  Silver  Span- 
gled Hamburgs  are  the  most  widely  bred  of  all 
the  varieties  in  this  family,  and  are  usually  con- 
sidered the  most  handsome.  The  three  other  most 
common  varieties  are  the  Golden  Spangled,  the 
Golden  Penciled,  and  the  Silver  Penciled.  The 
White  Hamburgs  and  the  Black  Hamburgs  are 
rarely  bred. 

Andalusians.  There  is  but  one  variety  of  the 
Andalusian  family.  This  one  has  the  unique  dis- 
tinction of  wearing  the  national  colors — its  face 
and  eyes  being  red,  its  ear-lobes  white,  and  its 
plumage  blue.  In  shape  and  size  they  are  between 
the  Leghorns  and  the  Minorcas.  In  common  with 
other  breeds  in  this  class,  they  are  prolific  layers 
of  large  white  eggs;  have  large  combs,  and  are 
non-sitters;  legs  slaty-blue  in  color.  They  are  an 
old  breed,  but  have  never  become  popular  and 
probably  never  will. 

Anconas  are  purely  Mediterranean  or  Leghorn 
in  type  and  general  characteristics,  the  only  varia- 
tion being  in  color,  which  is  an  evenly  mottled 
black  and  white  throughout.  The  birds  are  of 

93 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

about  the  same  size  as  Leghorns  and,  like  them, 
have  no  Standard  weights.  They  are  excellent 
layers,  but  only  fairly  popular. 

Black  Spanish  are  prized  mostly  as  novelties, 
and  they  are  one  of  the  most  striking  examples 
of  the  fancier's  skill  of  any  breed  in  the  Standard. 
They  are  pure  black  in  color  of  plumage,  while  the 
wattles,  ear-lobes  and  entire  side  of  the  face  are 
ivory  white.  Aside  from  the  peculiar  abnormal 
development  of  the  skin  and  face,  they  resemble 
the  Black  Minorcas  very  much.  For  practical 
purposes  they  are  excelled  by  almost  any  of  the 
breeds  in  the  Mediterranean  class,  and  this  variety 
is  rarely  bred. 

Polish  may  well  be  regarded  as  a  strictly  orna- 
mental fowl.  They  are  neither  popular  nor  com- 
mon, and  the  only  reason  they  find  a  place 
in  this  book  is  because  people  who  want  a 
more  or  less  practical  breed  of  chickens  of  an 
entirely  "  different "  character  may  have  this 
desire  gratified  in  the  Bearded  Polish.  They  are 
of  about  the  same  size  as  the  Leghorns,  or  slightly 
smaller;  rather  delicate;  fair  layers  of  white  eggs; 
non-sitters ;  have  very  large  crests  or  beards ;  small 
V-shaped  combs;  ear-lobes  white;  legs  slatish  or 
willow-colored.  The  leading  varieties  are  the 
White-crested  Black,  the  Bearded  Golden,  and  the 
Bearded  Silver  Polish. 


94 


BREEDS   DESCRIBED 

THE  FRENCH   CLASS 

Houdans  are  the  only  breed  in  the  French 
class  popular  enough  in  America  or  possessing 
merit  enough  to  warrant  description  in  this  book. 
The  Standard  recognizes  two  other  French 
breeds — La  Fleche  and  Crevecoeurs — but  they 
are  rarely  seen  here.  In  color,  the  Houdans 
are  black  and  white,  mottled;  in  young  fowls  the 
black  predominates,  but  as  they  mature  the  black 
becomes  less  in  evidence.  Houdans  have  five  toes 
on  each  foot,  but  the  fifth  is  separated  from  the 
others  and  bent  upwards  and  is  of  no  use  in  walk- 
ing. The  Houdans  are  crested,  but  not  so  heavily 
as  the  Polish.  They  are  generally  preferable  to 
the  Polish,  as  they  are  more  profitable,  hardier, 
and  more  common.  Houdan  crests  should  not  be 
divided  at  the  top,  as  is  the  case  with  the  Polish. 
They  are  excellent  layers  of  white  eggs ;  practically 
non-sitters;  usually  fairly  hardy;  ear-lobes  white; 
shanks  pinkish- white  mottled  with  black;  flesh 
good,  but  not  well  suited  to  American  markets  on 
account  of  its  color.  Standard  weights,  cock,  7 
pounds;  cockerel,  6  pounds;  hen,  6  pounds;  pullet, 
5  pounds. 

THE  ENGLISH  CLASS 

This  class  must  base  its  claim  to  American  notice 
chiefly  on  the  fact  that  it  contains  the  Orpingtons, 

95 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

a  breed  originated  in  England  not  many  years  ago 
and  recently  admitted  to  the  American  Standard  of 
Perfection.  The  Dorkings  also  belong  to  this 
class,  but  it  is  only  their  old  age  and  one-time 
popularity  that  causes  them  to  come  in  for  even 
this  casual  mention;  they  are  outclassed  by  almost 
any  of  our  American  breeds. 

Orpingtons  are  a  good  general-purpose  fowl, 
but  not  adapted  to  the  present  requirements  of  most 
American  markets  on  account  of  white  skin  and 

legs.     They  are  large  and  stately  in 
Orpingtons  •  t     i  i 

appearance,   with   long,   round,   deep 

bodies,  and  very  full  breast  development.  Their 
eggs  average  about  the  same  in  color  and  size 
as  the  Plymouth  Rocks,  and  they  lay  about  the 
same  number  of  them  per  year;  but  it  will  likely 
be  some  time  before  they  will  displace  any  of  our 
American  breeds  of  the  same  general  class,  because 
the  Orpingtons  are  not  so  well  adapted  to  this 
county  and  its  market  requirements,  although  it 
is  possible  that  this  objection  will  largely  disap- 
pear within  the  next  few  years. 

It  is  true  that  the  unpopularity  of  white- 
skinned  fowls  is  largely  a  matter  of  prejudice, 
but  the  beginner  or  small  breeder  will  find  that  he 
can  not  readily  change  public  opinion,  whether 
well  founded  or  not,  when  he  goes  to  market  his 
product.  If  you  prefer  the  Orpingtons  and  want 
them  merely  for  your  own  use  I  have  no  objection 

96 


BREEDS    DESCRIBED 

to  offer  against  the  breed.  There  are  three  well- 
established  varieties,  the  White,  Buff,  and  Black, 
and  their  popularity  in  this  country  is  about  in  the 
order  named.  In  each  of  these  varieties  there 
•are  single-combed  and  rose-combed  sub-varieties. 
Standard  weights,  cock,  10  pounds;  cockerel,  8^/2 
pounds;  hen,  8  pounds;  pullet,  7  pounds. 

THE  GAME   CLASS 

There  are  many  different  varieties  of  the  Games, 
differing  greatly  in  character  and  general  appear- 
ance, but  the  only  practical  variety  is  the  Cornish 
Indian  Game.  The  others  are  bred  mostly  for 
fighting  or  exhibition  purposes. 

These  birds  have  many  good  qualities,  and  more 
of  them  could  be  grown  in  this  country  to  good 

advantage.     The  name  "  game,"   as 
Cornish  Fowls  ,.    ,          ,  /•       i      •  . 

applied  to  these  fowls,  is  a  misnomer, 

as  stock  from  good  practical  strains  have  no  more 
"  fighting  blood "  in  them  than  many  another 
breed  of  chickens.*  The  Cornish  hen,  however, 
will  fight  bravely  for  her  young,  and  she  will  fiercely 
assail  attacking  hawks  or  other  vermin.  These 
fowls  are  great  foragers,  and  will  find  most  of 
their  living  if  allowed  plenty  of  range.  The  young 

*  There  has  been  considerable  agitation  as  to  the  inappropriateness  of  the 
term  "Indian  Game"  in  this  connection,  and  the  promoters  of  the  breed 
are  insisting  that  it  be  known  simply  as  the  Cornish  Fowl. 

97 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

are  very  hardy  and  mature  early.  The  hens  are 
fair  layers  of  tinted  eggs,  and  are  more  or  less 
inclined  to  broodiness. 

Perhaps  no  breed  of  fowls  dresses  with  less 
waste  than  the  Cornish  Indians;  one  with  no 
experience  would  be  greatly  surprised  how  com- 
pactly they  are  built  and  the  amount  of  meat  that 
is  on  their  carcasses.  Game  flesh  is  firm  and  very 
fine  grained,  although  sometimes  it  is  somewhat 
dry.  The  birds  are  very  full  in  the  breast  and 
broad  at  the  shoulders;  backs  are  convex  instead 
of  flat  or  concave,  as  in  most  other  breeds;  ear- 
lobes  red;  pea  combs;  skin  and  legs  yellow;  Stand- 
ard weights,  cock,  9  pounds;  cockerel,  7^2  pounds; 
hen,  6y2  pounds;  pullet,  5^  pounds.  In  color  the 
Cornish  fowls  are  greenish-black  intermixed  with 
red.  The  White  Indian  Games  are  identical  with 
the  Cornish  Indians  except  in  color,  but  are  rarely 
bred. 

THE  BANTAM  CLASS 

The  Bantam  family  is  not  of  great  practical  use, 
but  are  bred  mostly  for  ornamental  purposes  or  for 
playthings  for  children,  as  they  become  very  tame 
and  like  to  be  petted.  While,  of  course,  impossible 
for  market  purposes,  Bantams  can  often  be  used 
to  furnish  eggs  and  some  meat  for  a  small  fam- 
ily so  situated  that  they  could  not  keep  a  large  fowl. 

98 


BREEDS    DESCRIBED 

Bantams  will  thrive  with  less  house  and  yard  room 
than  any  other  breed,  and  they  may  be  housed  in 
a  dry  goods  box,  and  kept  on  a  lawn  or  in  a  gar- 
den without  injury  where  it  would  be  impossible 
to  keep  any  other  breed  without  ruining  many 
things. 

Bantams  of  a  good  strain  will  lay  as  many  eggs 
in  a  year  as  most  of  the  larger  varieties,  but  they 
lay  the  smallest  egg  of  all  the  chicken  family. 
While  Bantams  can  scarcely  be  used  on  the  table 
until  they  have  attained  their  full  size,  at  that  time 
they  are,  weight  for  weight,  the  equals  of  any 
fowl,  as  they  make  plump  carcasses  and  their  meat 
is  very  sweet  and  fine  grained. 

There  are  twenty-five  or  more  different  varieties 
in  the  Bantam  family.  The  newest  additions  to 
the  family — the  Light  Brahma  and  the  Dark 
Brahma  Bantams — are  about  as  handsome  and 
useful  as  any,  being  miniature  counterparts  of 
the  large  Light  Brahmas  and  the  Dark  Brahmas. 
The  eight  varieties  of  the  Game  Bantams  are 
very  common  and  excellent.  About  the  same 
may  be  said  of  the  Seabright  Bantams,  of  which 
there  are  two  varieties,  the  Golden  and  the 
Silver.  These  birds  are  unique  in  that  the  birds  of 
both  sexes  are  nearly  alike  in  appearance  when  well 
bred,  the  difference  being  very  slight  indeed.  The 
Cochin  Bantams  are  miniature  reproductions  of 
the  large  Cochin  family.  The  Buffs  are  the  most 

99 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

common  variety,  and  when  well  bred  make  a  pleas- 
ing appearance  as  well  as  being  about  as  practical 
as  any.  In  America  the  Buff  Cochin  Bantams  are 
probably  the  most  common  of  the  entire  Bantam 
family. 


IOO 


SELECTING   A   BREED 


CHAPTER    VIII 

SELECTING   A    BREED 

IN  Chapter  Seven  will  be  found  brief  descrip- 
tions of  the  standard  breeds  most  desirable 
for  either  profit  or  pleasure.  The  breeds  to 
be  illustrated  have  been  selected  very  carefully,  and 
the  beginner  will  find  that  those  thus  favored  are 
the  very  best  for  the  purposes  suggested  in  their 
descriptions.  With  this  information  at  hand,  it 
ought  not  to  be  so  very  difficult  for  him  to  make 
a  selection  from  the  varieties  illustrated,  because 
it  is  certain  that  they  are  all  capable  of  giving 
good  satisfaction,  and  all  one  needs  to  look  out 
for  is  to  see  that  the  breed  is  adapted  to  the  pur- 
pose or  purposes  to  which  he  intends  to  cater,  and 
that  its  shape,  color  and  general  appearance  is 
pleasing  to  his  eye. 

Other  things  being  equal,  the  variety  that  suits 
one's  taste  the  best  should  be  selected,  as  that  is 
the  one  to  which  he  will  give  'his  best  care  and 
attention.  Success  with  poultry  depends  so  much 
upon  personal  care  and  attention  that  it  really 
is  worth  a  great  deal  to  have  a  flock  of  fowls  that 

103 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

readily  appeal  to  one's  affections,  for  the  care  of 
such  a  flock  will  be  easy  and  spontaneous,  while 
otherwise  it  would  be  tedious  work  and  compara- 
tive drudgery. 

Less  stress  is  placed  upon  the  importance  of  the 
breed  now  than  formerly.  This  is  well,  because 
the  man,  the  housing,  the  feed,  and  the  general 
management,  each  plays  a  more  important  part 
toward  success  or  failure  than  the  breed,  providing 
any  judgment  at  all  has  been  used  in  the  selection. 
Of  course  a  man  who  tried  to  run  a  market  poultry 
plant  with  Leghorns,  or  an  egg  farm  with  Cochins, 
would  have  some  reason  for  blaming  his  failure 
upon  the  breed,  but  he  had  better  blame  it  upon  his 
poor  judgment.  There  is  scarcely  a  breed  in  the 
Standard  which  cannot  be  made  to  pay  a  profit  in 
the  hands  of  an  expert  poultryman. 

The  man  who  wants  to  keep  poultry  merely  for 
pleasure  need  not,  of  course,  consider  the  practical 
or  utility  side  at  all;  but  most  people  want  to  get, 
if  possible,  at  least  something  in  the  way  of  finan- 
cial returns  as  well  as  pleasure  from  their  hobby. 

The  American  breeds  are  the  breeds  for  the 
masses ;  most  people  find  them  superior  to  all  others 
Which  are  for  any  purpose  whatever,  except  that 
the  Best  of  specializing  for  eggs  and  eggs 

Breeds?  alone.  The  man  who  wants  a  breed 

that  will  take  advantage  of  all  opportunities  in  the 
way  of  ranging,  without  getting  into  too  much 

104 


SELECTING   A   BREED 

mischief;  that  will  not  require  an  extra-high  fence 
to  keep  them  enclosed ;  that  will  stand  confinement 
if  not  too  close  and  severe;  that  are  both  good  mar- 
ket birds  and  good  egg  producers — to  him  I  would 
recommend  one  of  the  American  breeds. 

The  man  who  wants  a  quiet,  easily  confined 
breed,  that  are  fair  layers  and  extra-large  table 
fowls,  ought  to  give  the  Brahmas  his  first  consid- 
eration, with  the  Cochins  next  in  order.  The 
Brahmas  are  also  fairly  good  for  producing  broil- 
ers, and  without  a  superior  for  roasters.  Large 
broiler  growers,  however,  find  the  Plymouth  Rocks, 
Wyandottes  or  Rhode  Island  Reds,  best  adapted  to 
their  purpose,  as  they  feather  out  more  rapidly  and 
mature  quicker. 

The  man  anywhere,  and  with  any  sized  flock, 
who  wants  eggs  and  eggs  alone,  should  confine  his 
attention  strictly  to  the  Mediterranean  breeds ;  they 
are  the  egg  producers  par  excellence.  While  all 
are  good  layers,  the  Leghorns  and  Minorcas  are 
probably  the  best.  The  Leghorns  are  usually  cred- 
ited with  the  ability  to  lay  more  eggs  in  a  year  than 
the  Minorcas,  but  the  Minorca  eggs  usually  aver- 
age considerably  larger,  and  that  often  is  a  point 
which  one  cannot  afford  to  overlook,  inasmuch  as 
the  time  is  coming  when  eggs  in  America  will  be 
sold  by  the  pound  instead  of  by  the  dozen.*  The 

*  This  method  of  selling  eggs  is  at  the  present  time  practiced  in  most  for- 
eign countries  and  in  a  few  of  the  Western  States  of  the  United  States. 

105 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

man  who  breeds  Leghorns  of  a  good  size  can  also 
look  after  the  market  side  of  the  business,  too,  be- 
cause Leghorn  chicks  are  very  hardy,  grow  fast  and 
feather  out  quickly,  and  have  nice  yellow  skin  and 
legs.  Though  they  never  get  "  big,"  they  make 
their  first  pound  of  growth  in  a  comparatively  short 
time. 

The  Minorcas,  while  larger  than  the  Leghorns, 
are  not  nearly  so  well  adapted  to  American  mar- 
ket requirements.  In  this  country  birds  with  yel- 
low skin  and  legs  always  sell  first  and  at  a  higher 
price  than  the  other  kinds,  though  this  is  a  mat- 
ter of  prejudice  and  is  being  gradually  done 
away  with. 

With  regard  to  the  color  of  eggs,  some  markets 
prefer  a  white-shelled  egg  and  others  a  brown- 
shelled  egg ;  the  beginner  should  ascertain  the  pref- 
erence and  consider  this  as  a  factor  when  selecting 
his  breed.  All  American  varieties  lay  brown- 
shelled  eggs,  while  all  Mediterranean  varieties  lay 
white  or  light-tinted  eggs. 

White-plumaged  fowls  are  not  the  most  desir- 
able for  dirty,  smoky  locations,  or  for  sections  of 
the  country  where  hawks  and  other  prowlers 
abound.  Fowls  with  dark  plumage  do  not  make 
the  best  market  variety,  on  account  of  the  black 
pinfeathers  on  the  dressed  carcass. 

Here  are  a  few  additional  points  the  beginner 
can  well  bear  in  mind  when  selecting  a  breed : 

106 


SELECTING  A   BREED 

(1)  Non-sitting  varieties  make  it  necessary  to 
depend  upon  other  hens   for  hatching,   or  upon 
artificial  methods;  and  this  is  often  inconvenient 
or  costly  with  a  small  flock. 

(2)  The  ornamental  and  other  strictly  "fancy" 
breeds  which  are  not  prominently  mentioned  or 
illustrated   herein,   are   not  extensively  bred   and 
trouble  will  be  experienced  in  securing  stock  of 
them,  as  well  as  of  those  varieties  described  as 
"  rarely  bred." 

(3)  The   newer   varieties   breed   less   true    to 
feather   than    the   old,   well-established   varieties. 
On  the  one  hand,   this  requires  greater  skill   in 
breeding    and    makes    the    percentage    of    culls 
greater,  while  on  the  other  hand  it  causes  good 
specimens  to  bring  higher  prices. 

The  advice  that  the  beginner  should  not  attempt 
Advantages  of  to  handle  more  than  one  breed  is  old 
Specializing  but  nevertheless  true.  It  is  absurd  to 
start  out  with  several  breeds  with  the  idea  of  test- 
ing their  relative  merits;  nine  times  out  of  ten  the 
man  who  tries  this  plan  never  learns  any  one  va- 
riety well  enough  to  get  the  best  out  of  it.  After 
the  beginner  has  made  a  success  with  one  breed, 
he  may  try  to  repeat  the  operation  with  another 
breed,  if  he  desires ;  but  it  is  not  likely  that  he  would 
care  to  sacrifice  his  reputation  as  a  specialty  breeder 
after  once  getting  it  and  realizing  its  advantages. 

Having  selected  the  breed  you  like  best  and 
107 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

which  seems  best  suited  to  your  needs,  stick  to  that 
one  breed;  for,  though  a  few  disadvantages  may 
crop  out,  remember  that  no  breed  is  perfect  in  every 
respect.  Concentrate  all  your  energies  upon  devel- 
oping to  the  utmost  the  special  qualities  in  your 
breed,  and  you  will  soon  find  that  careful  breed- 
ing pays.  Don't  change  around  so  often,  or  make 
so  many  crosses,  that  you  can't  tell  what  breed  you 
have  if  somebody  should  ask  you.  Pure-breds  are 
always  preferable  to  crosses.  Not  only  are  pure- 
bred fowls  more  uniform  and  attractive,  but  nine 
times  out  of  ten  the  man  who  crosses  two  breeds 
in  an  endeavor  to  combine  the  good  qualities  of 
each  breed  in  one  fowl,  instead  combines  the  bad 
qualities. 

There  is  no  room  for  argument  as  to  the  advan- 
tages of  standard  breeds.  Pure-bred  live  stock  of 
Why  Standard  every  kind  is  better  than  mongrels  or 
Breeds  scrubs,  and  the  difference  is  just  as 

Are  Best  marked  with  poultry  as  with  anything 
else.  The  progressive  poultryman  of  to-day  will 
have  nothing  to  do  with  stock  other  than  pure- 
bred; not  only  fanciers  breed  pure-bred  fowls,  but 
also  all  successful  market  plants,  whether  the  spe- 
cialty is  eggs  or  meat,  or  both.  Standard-bred 
poultry  means  a  more  attractive  and  handsome 
flock  of  fowls,  because  they  are  all  uniform  in  size, 
type  and  color ;  it  means  more  eggs  and  larger  size 
in  the  birds,  because  the  pure-bred  fowl  is  the 

1 08 


SELECTING   A   BREED 

result  of  selection  extending  through  a  long  course 
of  years;  it  means  more  money  when  sold  in  mar- 
ket, on  account  of  the  uniformity  in  shape,  size 
and  color,  and  the  added  attractiveness  caused 
thereby;  it  means  quicker  and  more  uniform 
growth  in  the  chicks;  and,  last  but  by  no  means 
least,  it  means  healthier,  hardier  stock.  Pure-bred 
fowls  require  no  more  feed  or  attention  than  any 
other  kind,  and  the  only  difference  in  cost  is  in  the 
original  investment,  which  is  small  compared  with 
the  advantages  to  be  derived. 

There  are  three  good  ways  for  the  beginner  to 
stock  up  with  pure-bred  poultry.  One  is  to  pur- 
Best  Ways  of  chase  a  breeding  pen  of  his  chosen 
Starting  with  variety,  another  is  to  purchase  the 
Pure  Breeds  eggg  an(j  ^en  hatch  and  raise  his  own 
flock,  while  the  third  is  to  purchase  "  day-old  " 
chicks.  The  two  first-named  methods  are  the 
oldest  and  most  common  in  America.  Of  these, 
each  has  its  advantages  and  its  disadvantages,  and 
people  have  all  kinds  of  results — good,  bad  and 
indifferent — from  each.  In  brief,  it  may  be  said 
that  in  buying  stock  the  risk  of  total  loss,  as  well 
as  the  possibility  of  getting  fine  stock  very  cheap, 
is  less  than  in  buying  eggs.  When  one  buys  stock 
he  secures  for  his  money  something  tangible  and 
real;  when  he  buys  eggs  he  secures  greater  possi- 
bilities for  his  money  than  with  stock,  but  these 
may  or  may  not  develop. 

109 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

Starting  by  Buying  Stock.  Buying  the  fowls  is 
quite  sure  to  require  a  heavier  original  outlay,  but 
you  know  then  just  what  you  are  getting,  and  are 
taking  no  chances  on  the  hatchability  of  eggs  or  on 
disease  and  accident  while  raising  the  chicks.  You 
are  paying  your  chosen  breeder  for  the  actual 
results  of  his  years  of  experience  as  a  fancier,  and 
are  taking  advantage  of  that  in  getting  him  thus 
to  select  and  mate  your  foundation  stock. 

The  amount  of  money  that  would  have  to  be  ex- 
pended in  making  such  a  start  would  depend  both 
on  the  number  of  birds  and  the  quality  desired.  A 
trio  (that  is,  two  females  and  one  male)  can  be  pur- 
chased for  ten  dollars  or  fifteen  dollars  that  would 
give  very  satisfactory  results,  unless  exhibition 
stock  were  desired,  when  the  prices  would  run  any- 
where from  ten  dollars  or  fifteen  dollars  apiece 
to  double  and  treble  those  figures.  When  birds 
are  taken  in  pen  lots  (that  is,  eight  or  ten  females 
and  one  male)  considerable  reduction  is  usually 
made  on  the  price  per  head.  Fifty  dollars  would 
secure  ten  excellent  birds  of  any  breed.  Fairly 
good  breeding  and  utility  stock,  entirely  satisfac- 
tory to  all  who  do  not  value  or  cannot  appreciate 
the  fine  and  technical  points  of  a  breed,  can  be 
secured  at  a  cost  of  from  one  to  three  dollars  each. 

The  beginner'  should  always  start  with  the  best 
stock  he  can,  for  he  will  save  time  and  money  by 
so  doing  if  he  wants  to  work  himself  up  toward 

no 


SELECTING  A   BREED 

the  top.  Pullets  or  yearling  hens  usually  make  the 
best  investment  for  the  beginner,  because  a  hen 
that  is  two  or  more  years  old  when  bought  usually 
cannot  profitably  be  kept  in  service  longer  than 
one  more  season. 

The  best  time  to  buy  fowls  is  in  the  fall.  Stock 
can  be  purchased  for  less  money  at  this  time  than 
at  any  other,  and  the  early  buyer  gets  the  selection. 
After  the  first  of  June  in  each  year  there  are  many 
opportunities  to  buy  at  very  low  prices  some  of  the 
stock  which  breeders  have  used  in  their  breeding 
pens,  because  they  must  make  room  for  the  crop 
of  youngsters  coming  on.  Most  of  these  young 
birds  will  also  be  offered  for  sale  after  September 
first,  ranging  from  four  to  six  months  in  age  at  that 
time;  they,  too,  are  quite  desirable,  and  if  one  is 
prepared  to  winter  them  properly,  he  will  find  that 
his  stock  will  have  almost  doubled  in  value  by 
spring. 

Not  only  will  you  get  the  greatest  value  for 
your  money  in  the  fall,  but  you  will  also  have 
the  time  and  opportunity  to  study  your  fowls,  to 
learn  their  individual  characteristics  and  peculiari- 
ties and  to  learn  how  best  to  feed  and  manage  them, 
so  that  you  may  be  sure  everything  will  be  in 
smooth  working  order  by  the  time  eggs  are  desired 
for  hatching.  It  always  requires  some  time  for 
fowls  to  become  accustomed  to  new  surroundings 
and  a  new  feeding  system  and  rations,  and  for  this 

in 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

reason  many  who  purchase  fowls  in  the  spring  are 
often  sorely  disappointed  because  a  supply  of  eggs 
is  not  readily  forthcoming  or  the  eggs  do  not  hatch 
well. 

Starting  by  Buying  Eggs.  For  one  who  has  not 
made  his  start  with  a  breeding  pen  by  March,  I 
unhesitatingly  recommend  the  egg  plan  as  better. 
The  expense  is  less  and  one  feels  that  he  is  starting 
at  the  very  foundation.  He  learns  the  business  in 
all  its  detail — incubation,  brooding,  rearing,  feed- 
ing, housing  and  marketing;  but  this  often  is  no 
advantage,  for  the  simple  reason  that  failure  is 
liable  to  occur  to  the  man  who  has  had  no  expe- 
rience, and  then  he  has  nothing  else  to  fall  back 
upon,  as  would  be  the  case  if  he  had  a  good  pen  of 
old  birds. 

The  man  who  would  sell  you  a  pen  of  fair  breed- 
ing birds  for  fifty  dollars  would  probably  supply 
you  with  two  hundred  eggs  for  thirty  dollars,  and 
these  eggs  would  come  from  breeding  pens  worth 
two  or  three  times  as  much  as  those  you  would 
have  secured  for  fifty  dollars.  It  would  take  your 
eight  or  ten  hens  six  weeks  to  produce  the  two  hun- 
dred eggs,  perhaps  longer.  Buying  your  eggs  all 
at  one  time,  you  have  twenty  of  your  fifty  dol- 
lars remaining,  with  which  to  buy  an  incubator 
or  to  buy  broody  hens  to  hatch  the  eggs.  Also, 
you  have  your  chicks  all  of  the  same  size  and  age, 
which  is  a  big  advantage  over  having  several  dif- 

112 


SELECTING   A   BREED 

ferent  lots  of  chicks  which  would  require  different 
feed  and  treatment  the  summer  through.  All  your 
purchased  eggs  will  not  hatch;  neither  do  those 
produced  at  home  all  hatch.  Broody  hens  may 
bring  with  them  lice  and  disease;  but  you  would 
need  to  buy  broody  hens  to  hatch  the  eggs  from 
your  own  pen  of  birds,  unless  you  let  them  stop 
laying  in  order  to  hatch  and  raise  their  own  chicks, 
and  that  would  be  neither  wise  nor  profitable. 

Prices  of  eggs  usually  run  from  one  dollar  to 
five  dollars,  per  setting,  though  ten  dollars  or 
fifteen  dollars  per  setting  are  now  getting  to  be 
more  or  less  common  prices  for  eggs  from  noted 
prize  winners.  The  common  prices  are  three 
dollars  and  five  dollars  for  eggs  from  high-class 
exhibition  stock;  one  and  one-half  to  three  dollars 
for  medium  exhibition  and  good  practical  stock. 
So-called  u  incubator  eggs  "  are  sold  by  the  hun- 
dred at  from  four  to  ten  dollars.  At  the  former 
price  they  are  generally  from  culls,*  and  used 
mostly  for  hatching  broilers.  At  the  higher  price 
they  ought  to  be  from  very  fair  breeding  stock, 
though  probably  bred  more  especially  for  utility 
purposes.  Don't  be  afraid  to  order  eggs  from  a 
distance;  the  shipment  of  eggs  from  a  reliable 
breeder,  no  matter  where  located  that  does  not 
give  results,  is  the  exception  rather  than  the  rule. 

*The  word  "cull"  in  this  sense  does  not  necessarily  imply  lack  of  prac- 
tical or  utility  value,  but  simply  indicates  that  the  fowl  is  deficient  in  one  or 
more  "fancy"  requirements,  although  descended  from  good,  pure-bred  stock. 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

The  thing  to  be  most  sure  about,  no  matter 
which  method  of  starting  is  employed,  is  that  you 
deal  with  a  man  who  will  give  you  what  you  pay 
for.  Don't  be  misled  by  offers  of  cheap  fowls  or 
eggs.  The  man  who  has  invested  good  money  in 
breeding  up  a  flock  of  fowls,  and  has  devoted  his 
time  and  attention  untiringly  to  the  business  year 
after  year,  cannot  afford  to  sell  eggs  from  his  best 
pens  for  a  dollar  or  two  a  setting.  Hens  that  are 
worth  ten  dollars  each  lay  eggs  that  are  worth 
three  dollars  per  setting;  if  they  do  not  bring  that 
much,  the  breeder  has  little  margin  for  his  invest- 
ment, labor  and  experience. 

Starting  by  Buying  Day -old  Chicks.  The  sale 
of  newly  hatched  chicks,  instead  of  eggs  for  hatch- 
ing, is  a  late  and  promising  innovation  for  giving 
beginners  a  start  in  the  pure-bred  poultry  busi- 
ness. While  probably  still  in  its  infancy,  this  trade 
already  is  making  serious  inroads  upon  the  sale  of 
eggs  for  hatching.  It  gives  the  beginner  most  of 
the  advantages  of  buying  eggs  in  the  way  of  low 
expense,  and  at  the  same  time  does  away  with  the 
uncertainty  of  the  eggs  hatching  well. 

There  is  considerable  danger  of  improper 
handling  or  chilling  of  the  chicks  along  the  route, 
yet  such  losses  are  not  much  greater  with  chicks 
than  with  eggs;  perhaps  the  greatest  danger  of 
failure  lies  in  the  unpreparedness  or  incompetency 
of  the  inexperienced  person  to  raise  the  chicks 

114 


SELECTING  A   BREED 

after  he  has  received  them.  Shipped  as  soon  as 
they  are  taken  from  the  incubators,  the  chicks  need 
no  food  for  two  or  three  days,  and  that  generally 
allows  them  ample  time  to  reach  their  destination; 
but  upon  arrival  they  need  careful  and  prompt 
attention,  so  that  they  will  get  the  right  kind  of 
a  start.  Prices  on  ready-hatched  chicks  are  usu- 
ally about  twice  as  much  as  for  eggs  for  hatching, 
the  most  common  prices  being  from  fifteen  to 
thirty  cents  each. 


FOODS   AND    FEEDING 


CHAPTER    IX 

FOODS   AND    FEEDING 

OF  all  the  factors  governing  the  results  from 
a  flock  of  poultry,  none  is  more  important 
or  vital  than  the  feeding  of  the  fowls,  and 
perhaps  on  no  other  is  there  a  greater  scarcity  of 
definite  working  instructions;  in  fact,  the  beginner 
often  complains  that  he  is  compelled  to  resort  to 
too  much  "  guesswork  "  in  feeding  his  poultry,  and 
the  complaint  is  not  without  foundation.  Perhaps 
his  only  consolation  is  the  old  saw,  "  Experience  is 
the  best  of  teachers,"  albeit  in  this  case  it  is  also  the 
most  expensive. 

Absolutely  nothing  definite  can  be  stated  with 
regard  to  the  quantity  of  food  a  certain  number  of 
Quantity  of  fowls  should  have.  Different  breeds, 
Feed  Required  different  feeds,  and  different  climates 
make  a  vast  difference  in  the  quantity  of  food  that 
is  necessary  or  desirable.  Most  beginners  who 
take  a  pride  in  their  birds  want  to  be  kind  to  them, 
and  are  so  kind  that  they  do  them  harm  by  feeding 
too  much.  There  also  is  such  a  thing  as  not  feed- 
ing enough,  and  underfeeding  is  as  bad  as  over- 

119 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

feeding,  with  the  added  danger  of  being  more 
difficult  for  the  beginner  to  ascertain. 

The  shade  of  difference  between  a  fowl  that  is 
well-fed,  and  yet  not  over-fed,  is  something  that 
can  be  learned  only  by  experience.  Both  the  kind 
and  the  amount  of  food  are  factors.  So  far  as 
rules  regulating  the  amount  of  food  are  concerned, 
if  mashes  are  used,  feed  only  as  much  as  the  birds 
will  eat  up  clean  in  a  short  time;  if  dry  grains  are 
used,  feed  so  that  the  birds  will  always  be  ready 
and  anxious  for  the  next  meal.  The  indefiniteness 
of  such  instructions  may  be  exasperating  to  the 
inexperienced,  but  they  are  the  best  that  can  be 
stated  for  general  use. 

Frequency  of  Feeding.  As  to  how  often  to  feed 
poultry,  most  practical  poultrymen  feed  three  times 
a  day  in  the  winter  time  and  twi.ce  a  day  in  the 
summer  time.  Where  the  birds  are  fed  three  times 
a  day  in  the  winter,  by  feeding  so  that  they  have  to 
work  for  their  food  they  keep  more  comfortable 
and  are  busy  and  contented  for  a  greater  part  of 
the  time  than  where  they  receive  food  at  only  two 
periods.  In  the  summer  this  makes  little  difference, 
because  the  birds  can  be  out  of  doors. 

How  to  Acquire  Skill  in  Feeding.  The  best 
way  to  acquire  skill  in  feeding  poultry  is  not 
by  studying  "  scientific  formulas,"  etc.,  but  by 
practicing  feeding,  closely  observing  results,  and 
using  one's  own  judgment  according  to  the  results 

120 


FOODS   AND   FEEDING 

obtained.  However,  the  beginner  must  have  some 
sort  of  a  foundation  from  which  to  start,  and  that 
is  our  idea  in  stating  the  various  constituents,  etc., 
of  the  feeds.  The  experienced  poultryman  attaches 
little  value  to  any  such  information,  except  the 
merest  generalities  and  general  principles,  because 
he  knows  that  it  is  impossible  to  follow  arbitrary 
rules  and  get  the  results  the  rules  anticipate  with 
the  uniformity  which  would  justify  the  use  of  such 
rules ;  he  knows  he  had  to  learn  by  experiment  and 
observation  how  much  to  feed  and  when  and  how 
to  vary  his  rations.  The  inexperienced  person 
•  should  handle  his  fowls  as  frequently  as  conven- 
ient, and  by  examining  the  breast  bone  and 
between  the  thighs  of  the  fowl  one  can,  with  a 
little  practice,  tell  very  well  whether  the  fowl  is 
too  "  lean  "  or  too  corpulent. 

Food  stuffs  contain,  in  greater  or  lesser  de- 
gree, three  elements  which  are  essential  in  the  feed- 
Composition  ing  of  all  live  stock  and  fowls.  They 
of  Food  Stuffs  are  protein  carbohydrates  (including 
fat) ,  and  ash.  The  protein  is  that  part  of  the  food 

(which  makes  flesh,  blood,  muscles,  tendons,  etc., 
and  serves  to  replace  wasted  tissue  and  make 
growth  or  form  some  product,  such  as  eggs.  It 
is  the  most  important  element  in  feeding  stuff — in 
fact,  the  commercial  value  of  a  food  depends 
largely  upon  the  amount  of  protein  it  contains.  A 
ration  deficient  in  protein  never  gives  satisfaction, 

121 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

because  no  other  food  can  fill  its  position.  Foods 
rich  in  protein  are  called  nitrogenous  foods. 

Those  elements  of  a  food  which  go  to  make  fat, 
heat  and  energy  are  the  carbohydrates.  These  are 
burned  in  the  body,  and  any  surplus  above  what  is 
necessary  to  supply  heat  is  stored  up  in  the  body  as 
fat,  to  be  drawn  upon  later  should  insufficient  car- 
bohydrates or  carbonaceous  food  be  supplied. 

Ash  is  the  mineral  portion  of  feeding  stuffs,  and 
goes  largely  to  make  bones,  egg  shells,  etc.  Less 
of  this  material  is  needed  than  of  the  other  two, 
and  in  making  up  a  ration  little  attention  need  be 
paid  to  it,  for  most  feeds  contain  a  sufficient 
amount  without  any  special  provision  being  made. 

A  "  balanced  "  ration  is  one  in  which  protein 
and  carbohydrates  are  combined  in  such  proper- 
Balanced  tion  that  they  will  fully  supply  the 
Rations  needs  of  the  fowls  but  at  the  same 

time  there  will  be  no  surplus  of  either.  A 
"  wide  "  ration  is  one  which  contains  too  large  a 
proportion  of  carbohydrates;  its  continued  use 
will  cause  the  fowls  to  become  too  fat.  A 
"narrow"  ration  is  one  too  rich  in  protein;  its 
continued  use  will  affect  the  kidneys  and  liver,  be- 
cause they  will  have  been  overtaxed  in  endeavoring 
to  dissipate  the  excessive  amount  of  nitrogen.  To 
be  sure,  the  over-supply  of  protein  will,  to  a  cer- 
tain extent,  take  the  place  of  the  carbohydrates 
that  are  lacking,  but  this  should  not  be  allowed  to 

122 


FOODS   AND   FEEDING 

any  great  extent,  because  it  is  a  hardship  on  the 
fowls  and  is  more  expensive  than  to  furnish  the 
needed  carbonaceous  food. 

The  most  satisfactory  ration  for  laying  hens  is 
generally  regarded  as  i  :  6 ;  that  is,  one  part  of 
protein  to  six  parts  of  carbohydrates.  Many  au- 
thorities consider  this  too  wide  a  ration,  but  much 
depends  upon  individual  conditions  and  circum- 
stances— the  breed,  the  physical  condition  of  the 
fowls,  the  time  of  year,  etc.  With  large,  sluggish 
breeds  a  narrower  ration  might  give  the  better 
satisfaction,  say,  for  instance,  i  :  4^  or  i  :  5.  Of 
course  the  proportion  should  be  kept  as  nearly  cor- 
rect as  possible,  but  a  slight  difference  one  way  or 
the  other  is  not  such  a  vital  matter,  because  fowls 
seem  to  have  the  ability  to  adapt  different  feeds 
to  their  own  present  demands  and  requirements. 
The  smaller  and  more  active  the  fowl  the  wider 
the  ration  that  can  safely  be  fed  to  it,  because  it 
will  the  more  rapidly  use  up  the  surplus  carbon, 
inasmuch  as  they  have  more  energy  to  maintain. 
All  fowls  need  a  wider  ration  in  cold  weather  than 
in  warm  or  hot  weather,  because  more  is  needed  at 
that  time  in  order  to  maintain  their  bodily  heat. 
Growing  stock  require  a  wider  ration  than  mature 
birds,  and  stock  to  be  fattened  require  a  wider 
ration  than  laying  or  breeding  stock. 


123 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 


FOOD    VALUES 


ex- 


The  nutritive  ratio  of  a  food  or  ration 
presses  the  proportion  of  digestible  protein  com- 
pounds to  the  digestible  carbohydrates  and  fats. 
The  average  composition  of  all  common  feeding 
stuffs  has  been  obtained  by  careful  and  extended 
chemical  analyses.  Nutritive  ratios  vary  in  differ- 
ent sections  of  the  country  and  with  different  vari- 
eties and  brands  of  the  same  food  stuff,  but  those 
given  below  are  as  accurate  as  any  that  could  be 
given  for  general  use : 


GRAIN  FEEDS 


Wheat 

i  :7 

Buckwheat  

:7.4 

Wheat  Middlings 

•  r 

Sunflower  Seed  .           .  . 

•6 

"Wheat  Bran 

•  j 

•A 

Millet  Seed 

;C 

Indian  Corn 

•T 

:io 

Kaffir  Corn  

•  J 
:o 

Gluten  Meal 

:i.  c 

Peas  and  Beans 

:-j 

Oats    

•  m  •  j 
:6 

Hemp  Seed  

:c 

Oat  Meal 

;r.7 

Linseed  Meal  

:i.fj 

Barley  

:8 

Malt  Sprouts    

:z.c 

Rve  . 

:?.? 

Rice  .  . 

VEGETABLES,  ETC. 


Green  Grass 1 17 

Green  Clover  or  Alfalfa  .1:5 
Dried  Clover  or  Alfalfa.  1:3 
Mangel  Wurzels 1:5 


Turnips 1 :8 

Potatoes l:i  2 

Red  Beets. 1:5 

Lettuce  and  Cabbages.  .  1 12 


124 


FOODS   AND   FEEDING 


ANIMAL  FOODS  AND  MILK 


Beef  Scraps I  :o.8 

Dried  Blood I :  i 

Animal  Meal I  :o.  5 


Fresh-cut  Bone 1:1.2 

Whole  Milk 1 14 

Skim-  and  Butter- Milk.  .1:2 


The  beginner  should  bear  prominently  in  mind 
that  fowls  require  a  variety  of  foods  as  well  as 
Variety  in  properly  proportioned  rations  in 
Feeding  order  to  do  well.  Oats  are  the 

best  balanced  grain  used  for  poultry  feed,  yet  it 
would  be  the  height  of  folly  to  make  oats  an  ex- 
clusive diet  day  after  day.  Corn,  wheat  and  oats 
are  the  three  staple  grain  feeds  for  poultry,  and 
many  breeders  obtain  very  excellent  results  by  feed- 
ing equal  parts  of  these  three  grains.  This  surely 
is  a  simple  ration,  and,  if  green  stuff  is  fed  in  con- 
nection with  the  grain,  the  whole  "  balances " 
fairly  well,  although  for  summer  feeding,  or  in  the 
case  of  an  Asiatic  breed,  the  ration  is  a  little 
"  wide,"  and  I  believe  in  such  cases  it  would  usually 
be  best  to  reduce  the  amount  of  corn  used. 

At  least  three  different  grains  should  make  up 
the  fowls'  ration,  and  a  combination  allowing  the 
use  of  more  than  this  is  very  desirable,  unless  in  the 
summer  time  when  the  fowls  are  enjoying  free 
range.  When  combined  and  mixed,  the  grains 
should  give  the  average  ratio  desired,  according  to 
the  suggestion  above.  A  good  combination  is 

125 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

equal  parts  of  wheat,  oats,  barley,  and  peas;  an- 
other is  oats,  wheat,  buckwheat  and  corn,  using 
about  half  as  much  of  each  of  the  latter  two  as  of 
the  former  two. 

As  previously  intimated,  any  combination  may 
be  used,  so  long  as  the  correct  proportion  is  main- 
tained. It  is  a  good  plan  to  have  several  different 
combinations,  changing  the  bill  of  fare  each  day, 
as  desirable  variations  in  the  diet  stimulate  the 
appetite  and  promote  the  general  health. 

In  making  up  a  grain  ration,  the  properties  of 
the  other  foods — animal  and  vegetable  foods — 
should  also  be  taken  into  consideration,  as  they, 
too,  exert  quite  an  influence.  Do  not  overlook  this 
point. 

The  Benefits  of  Exercise.  Grain  should  always 
be  fed  in  litter  of  some  kind,  so  that  the  birds  will 
have  to  scratch  and  hunt  to  get  it  out.  It  is  a  good 
plan  to  keep  the  floor  of  the  poultry  house  covered 
to  a  depth  of  a  foot  or  more  with  cut  clover  hay, 
straw,  dry  leaves,  or  some  other  loose  material. 
Nothing  has  a  more  pronounced  favorable  effect 
upon  the  thrift  and  general  health  of  a  flock  of 
fowls  during  the  winter  months  than  plenty  of 
good  exercise  in  a  fresh,  invigorating  atmosphere. 
Scratching  apartments  in  the  poultry  house,  cov- 
ered with  plenty  of  good  litter,  are  all  that  is 
necessary. 


126 


FOODS   AND   FEEDING 

There  are  now  on  the  market  many  brands  of 
"  prepared  feeds  "  by  the  use  of  which  the  most 
Prepared  inexperienced  person  can  do  away  with 
Poultry  Feeds  all  uncertainty  as  to  the  correctness 
of  the  feeding  ration  he  is  using.  These  feeds 
can  be  secured  of  almost  any  incubator  company 
or  poultry  supply  house,  and  most  grain  dealers 
also  handle  them,  as  their  popularity  has  increased 
steadily  and  rapidly  and  to-day  the  demand  is  sur- 
prisingly large  in  every  section  of  America.  These 
feeds  are  composed  of  a  number  of  different  con- 
stituents, forming  a  pleasing  variety,  and  are 
properly  "  balanced  "  according  to  the  formula  of 
an  expert  in  the  science  of  poultry  feeding.  They 
are  manufactured  for  every  and  any  purpose  and 
for  fowls  of  any  and  all  ages. 

The  feed  for  the  first  few  weeks  of  the  chicken's 
life  is  known  as  "  Chick  Feed  ";  after  that  comes 
the  "  Developing  Feed,"  which  is  especially 
adapted  to  chicks  from  four  weeks  to  four  months 
of  age;  and  for  Broiler  chicks  there  is  a  supple- 
mentary "  Fattening  Food  "  which  forces  a  rapid 
development.  Then  for  mature  fowls  there  are 
the  "  Scratch  Foods "  and  the  "  Dry-Mash 
Feeds,"  which  furnish  a  complete  and  well-bal- 
anced dry  grain  or  mash  feed  for  breeding  or 
laying  stock. 

These  feeds  cost  very  little  more  than  it  does 
for  one  to  buy  his  food  stuffs  and  mix  them  him- 

127 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

self.  In  the  case  of  the  experienced  poultry 
breeder  this  slightly  increased  cost  is  usually 
enough  to  cause  him  to  formulate  his  own  rations, 
but  the  beginner  can  well  afford  to  pay  a  few  extra 
cents — or  even  dollars — for  this  "  sure  thing  "  in 
the  feeding  line — at  least  until  he  has  acquired 
some  practical  personal  experience.  The  feeds 
for  youngsters  cost  from  two  dollars  to  three  dol- 
lars per  hundred-pound  bag;  those  for  mature 
fowls  seldom  cost  more  than  two  dollars  per  hun- 
dred pounds,  which  is  clearly  only  a  few  cents  more 
than  it  would  cost  for  an  ordinary  mixture  of  the 
same  amount  of  wheat,  corn  and  oats. 

There  are  two  methods  of  feeding  poultry,  the 
"  mash  "  system  and  the  "  dry- feed  "  system.  The 
Different  former  employs  the  use  of  wet  or 
Methods  of  damp  mixtures  of  soft  (ground) 
Feeding  {QQ^  The  latter  employs  tne  feeding 

of  only  dry  grains  and  seeds,  and  is  now  the  most 
popular  among  practical  American  poultrymen,  be- 
cause it  is  Nature's  way  of  feeding.  The  dry-feed 
system  does  away  with  all  bother  and  labor  of 
cooking  and  mixing  food,  and  by  throwing  all  the 
seeds  and  grains  in  a  deep  litter  the  birds  are  com- 
pelled to  scratch  and  hunt  for  all  the  food  they  get, 
and  they  thus  secure  much  healthful  and  invigorat- 
ing exercise.  This  also  keeps  them  busy,  con- 
tented and  happy,  and  in  the  winter  is  a  great  aid 
toward  keeping  up  the  bodily  warmth  of  the 

128 


FOODS    AND    FEEDING 

fowls.  In  short,  it  may  be  said  that  for  general 
use  the  dry-feed  system  is  'handier,  cheaper  and 
usually  better  than  the  old  way. 

There  is  another  way  of  dry-feeding,  and  that 
is  the  use  of  self-feeding  hoppers,  such  as  are  illus- 
Feeding  from  trated  and  described  in  Chapter  Five. 
Hoppers  This  system  involves  the  least  time 

and  labor  of  any,  and  for  that  reason  is  a  special 
favorite  with  busy  people  or  business  men  who  are 
compelled  to  be  away  from  home  except  of  morn- 
ings and  evenings.  The  hoppers  need  not  be  filled 
oftener  than  once  a  week,  and  the  feeding  matter 
requires  no  attention  other  than  that.  As  many 
different  kinds  of  grain  as  possible  should  be  kept 
in  the  hoppers,  either  separately  or  mixed  together 
in  the  proportions  suggested  at  the  beginning  of 
this  chapter,  and  the  birds  will  pick  out  the  amount 
of  each  kind  that  instinct  teaches  them  they  need. 
The  entire  idea  is  to  let  the  fowls  exercise  their 
natural  tastes  and  inclinations  in  the  feeding  mat- 
ter, and  they  may  go  to  the  hoppers  whenever  they 
want  to,  eating  whatever  kinds  of  grains  they  want 
to,  and  as  much  of  each  kind  as  they  want  to.  The 
supporters  of  this  system  claim  that  Nature  never 
guides  falsely,  and  that  therefore  the  bother  and 
worry  of  "  balancing "  the  ration  is  done  away 
with. 

The  plan  is  very  good  for  chicks  and  growing 
stock,  and  has  so  been  used  on  the  author's  poultry 

129 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

plant  for  several  years,  but  it  is  not  at  all  practical 
for  adult  fowls  in  confinement  or  for  use  during  the 
winter,  as  it  encourages  laziness  and  the  fowls  are 
sure  to  overeat,  becoming  over-fat,  and  sooner  or 
later  will  be  falling  ill  with  liver  or  bowel  disorders. 
In  fact,  the  only  condition  under  which  I  could 
recommend  the  hopper  system  of  feeding  for 
mature  fowls  is  in  the  summertime  when  they  have 
ample  range  to  induce  lots  of  natural  exercise  and 
activity,  and  then  the  fowls  will  not  overeat  from 
the  hoppers,  because  the  bits  of  food  they  may  pick 
up  out  on  the  range  are  more  palatable  and  attrac- 
tive than  the  dry  food  in  the  hoppers. 

Ground  food  is  preferable  to  whole  grains  for 
use  in  hopper.  Use  little  or  no  food  that  is  ex- 
tremely fattening  for  adult  fowls.  Cracked  corn 
and  middlings  (shorts)  should  be  used  sparingly. 
Wheat  bran,  ground  oats,  buckwheat,  etc.,  may  be 
fed  with  comparative  freedom.  While  there  is  no 
danger  of  the  fowls  overeating  themselves  on  the 
hopper  plan,  there  is  a  great  deal  of  danger  of 
them  becoming  over-fat,  for  though  they  may  eat 
only  a  small  quantity  of  food  at  a  time  and  their 
crops  may  never  be  excessively  full,  as  is  sometimes 
the  case  after  a  meal,  yet  they  manage  to  get  away 
with  a  great  deal  of  food  in  this  way  and  it  is  a 
well-proven  fact  that  hopper-fed  fowls  consume 
more  food  than  those  that  have  food  placed  before 
them  only  at  intervals. 

130 


FOODS   AND   FEEDING 

While  the  writer  neither  uses  nor  recommends 
the  free  use  of  mashes  for  breeding  birds,  many 
Use  of  Mashes  good  poultrymen  do.  While  hens 
in  Feeding  often  will  lay  more  eggs  when  fed 
freely  on  soft  food  than  when  fed  mostly  on  dry 
grains,  I  do  not  believe  the  condition  either  a 
natural  or  a  strictly  healthful  one.  While  there 
are  no  objections  to  feeding  mashes  to  hens  that 
are  being  forced  for  heavy  egg  production — in 
fact,  that  is  the  most  profitable  way  to  feed  stock 
kept  for  eggs  and  eggs  alone — still  the  breeder 
who  wants  strong,  rugged  breeding  birds,  fertile, 
hatchable  eggs,  and  vigorous,  lifeful  chicks,  had 
better  feed  mashes  comparatively  infrequently — 
say,  once  or  twice  a  week — because  dry-feeding 
is  more  in  harmony  with  Nature. 

Birds  that  are  being  forced  for  heavy  egg  pro- 
duction, and  which  will  be  discarded  after  the  first 
or  second  season,  may  be  fed  a  mash  every  day — 
or  even  two  mashes  a  day — during  the  season  of 
highest  prices  for  eggs.  Breeders  who  are  more 
solicitous  for  the  constitutions  of  their  fowls,  and 
who  want  them  to  remain  profitable  for  two  or 
three  years,  should  confine  themselves  to  no  more 
than  four  or  five  mashes  a  week.  The  prominent 
poultrymen  who  believe  in  mashes  do  not  feed  them 
to  their  breeding  birds  more  than  two  or  three  times 
a  week,  and  many  only  once  a  week.  In  general, 
my  advice  to  the  beginner  would  be  to  feed  mashes 

131 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

no  oftener  than  absolutely  necessary  in  order  to 
work  up  the  table  scraps  or  other  waste  materials. 
Aside  from  their  value  in  this  connection,  wet 
mashes  have  nothing  for  which  I  think  they  should 
be  recommended  to  a  beginner,  for  in  unskilled 
hands  they  often  produce  looseness  of  the  bowels 
and  other  light  ailments  which  may  get  the  begin- 
ner in  a  good  bit  of  trouble  before  he  can  correct 
matters. 

The  best  time  to  feed  the  mash,  whether  morn- 
ing or  evening,  is  a  mooted  question.  There  is  a 
potent  objection  to  soft  food  at  either  time.  If 
a  mash  is  fed  in  the  morning  the  hen  will,  of 
course,  greedily  consume  all  she  wants  in  just  a 
minute  or  two,  almost  without  moving  out  of  her 
tracks,  and  then,  her  appetite  being  satisfied,  she 
has  no  incentive  to  rustle  around  further,  but  be- 
comes inactive  and  lazy  and  goes  back  on  the 
roost  or  seeks  a  quiet  corner  where  she  may  doze 
undisturbedly.  The  objection  to  a  mash  in  the 
evening  is  that  it  is  so  readily  assimilated,  that 
the  digestive  organs  become  empty  before  morning 
and  bodily  heat  is  not  maintained.  The  latter 
objection  is  perhaps  the  less  potent,  and  most 
poultrymen  who  use  mashes  feed  them  in  the  even- 
ing. Another  good  way  is  to  feed  the  soft  food 
in  the  morning,  but  give  the  fowls  only  about 
half  as  much  as  they  would  desire,  and  then  supple- 
ment this  with  a  few  handfuls  of  small  grains  and 

132 


FOODS   AND   FEEDING 

seeds  scattered  in  the  litter.  With  the  beginner 
there  is  danger  of  overfeeding  in  following  this 
method,  as  it  really  is  giving  the  birds  two  meals 
at  one  time. 

Two  good  mashes,  for  feeding  alternately,  fol- 
low: 

Composition  of  the  Mash,  (i)  equal  parts 
of  cracked  corn  or  cornmeal,  ground  oats,  wheat 
bran,  and  middlings;  (2)  two  parts  bran,  one 
part  cornmeal,  one  part  ground  oats  and  three 
parts  fine  cut  clover  or  alfalfa  hay.  Table 
scraps  and  refuse  from  the  kitchen  may  also  be 
mixed  in  with  the  mash.  If  ground  beef  scraps 
or  other  similar  material  is  to  be  used,  mix  with 
this  soft  food — about  one  pound  for  twenty-five 
hens. 

A  pinch  of  salt  added  to  the  mash  makes  it 
more  palatable,  and,  besides,  salt  seems  to  be  de- 
manded by  the  fowls  in  greater  quantities  than  is 
supplied  in  ordinary  foods.  A  little  linseed  meal 
in  the  mash  every  week  or  ten  days  is  a  good  thing 
for  fowls,  while  it  may  be  fed  every  few  days  with 
beneficial  results  to  molting  birds  or  young  chicks 
growing  feathers. 

The  best  way  to  prepare  the  mash  is  to  mix  it 
thoroughly,  in  a  pail  or  tub,  with  boiling  hot 
water;  cover  with  a  heavy  blanket,  and  then  let 
stand  several  hours  before  feeding.  If  it  is  to  be 
fed  in  the  morning,  prepare  the  mash  the  previous 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

evening;  for  evening  feeding,  prepare  it  in  the 
forenoon.  Unless  covered  the  heat  and  aroma  will 
escape. 

Soft  food  should  always  be  fed  in  clean  troughs 
to  avoid  contamination  and  waste.  Clean  them 
out  thoroughly  after  each  meal,  and  scald  them  out 
every  week  or  two.  Several  small  troughs  are  bet- 
ter than  one  large  one,  because  every  flock  contains 
domineering  hens  which  will  prevent  the  more 
timid  ones  from  getting  their  share  when  the  food 
is  all  at  one  place. 

The  man  with  only  a  small  space  of  yard  room 
for  his  poultry  wishes  for  the  delightful  free  range 
Supplying  Nat-  of  the  farm  for  his  poultry,  and  in  the 
ural  Conditions  winter  every  poultry  keeper  wishes 
of  Feeding  £or  Sprmgtime  or  summertime  condi- 
tions, so  that  his  fowls  might  lay  more  eggs.  To 
bring  about  these  conditions  by  "  artificial  "  means 
of  feeding  is  now  entirely  possible. 

Green  Cut  Bone.  This  feed  will  efficiently  take 
the  place  of  bugs,  worms,  and  insects  for  the  fowls. 
This  feed  is  produced  merely  by  cutting  up  fresh 
bones  secured  at  the  local  meat  market  by  means 
of  a  bone  cutter,  which  machine  may  be  purchased 
at  a  cost  of  from  ten  dollars  upward,  depending 
upon  the  size.  There  are  cheaper  ones,  but  they 
are  too  small  to  be  practical,  requiring  excessive 
time  and  muscle  to  operate. 

'Beef  Scraps,    Where  one  cannot  secure  a  regu- 
134 


FOODS   AND   FEEDING 

lar  supply  of  fres'h  bones,  or  where  it  is  not  econ- 
omy to  spend  time  and  strength  running  a  bone 
cutter,  it  will  be  found  that  there  are  many  pre- 
pared meat  foods  on  the  market  which  will  answer 
the  purpose  quite  as  well,  although  the  cost  may  be 
slightly  higher.  These  are  designated  by  various 
names,  but  the  food  in  most  common  use  is  known 
as  "  ground  beef  scraps."  This  consists  of  ground 
animal  flesh  and  a  small  amount  of  bone,  with  all 
waste  and  grease  properly  extracted,  and  will  keep 
for  an  indefinite  period  of  time  if  kept  dry.  The 
cost  varies  from  two  dollars  to  three  dollars  per 
loo-pound  bag. 

Alfalfa  and  Clover  for  Poultry.  To  take  the 
place  of  green  stuff  in  the  ration,  clover  and  alfalfa 
are  the  best.  The  poultry  keeper  may,  if  he  pre- 
fers, purchase  a  small  "  hay  cutter  "  at  a  cost  of 
from  five  to  ten  dollars,  and  with  this  cut  his  own 
green  stuff.  This  is  the  cheaper  way,  but  on 
a  small  scale  it  is  almost  as  cheap  and  easier  to 
buy  the  stuff  already  dried  and  cut  into  the 
proper  lengths.  With  both  clover  and  alfalfa 
there  are  two  sizes,  known  as  the  "  short  cut "  and 
the  "  mealed."  The  former  is  from  a  half-inch  to 
two  or  three  inches  in  length,  while  the  latter  is 
almost  as  fine  as  cornmeal.  It  makes  no  particular 
difference  whether  clover  or  alfalfa  is  used,  or 
which  size  is  used. 

Whole  wheat  is  a  favorite  feed  for  fowls,  and 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

perhaps  the  majority  of  poultrymen  make  it  their 
main  feed.  Many  people  feed  it  almost  exclusively 
to  their  fowls,  and  the  results  cannot  be  called  un- 
satisfactory.  Screenings  have  not  the 
feeding  value  of  wheat,  and  should 
not  be  used  unless  the  fowls  seem  to  relish 
them  and  they  can  be  secured  at  a  very  low  cost. 
Bran  and  middlings  are  ground  wheat  separated 
into  parts,  the  former  being  the  exterior  and  the 
latter  the  interior  of  the  grain.  Bran  can  often 
be  used  to  advantage  during  warm  weather,  when  a 
light,  bulky  food  is  required,  as  it  is  neither  heating 
nor  fattening.  Middlings  are  very  fattening,  are 
greatly  relished  by  fowls,  and  are  especially  good 
for  growing  youngsters  and  for  fattening  old 
fowls.  Either  product  may  be  fed  dry  in  self- 
feeding  hoppers,  as  well  as  damp  and  mixed  with 
mash. 

Corn  is  the  best-liked  poultry  food.  Although 
this  is  true,  it  should  generally  be  fed  only  in  lim- 
ited quantities,  except  perhaps  to  the 
Mediterranean  breeds,  for  it  is  heat- 
ing and  fattening ;  on  this  account  it  is  a  good  food 
or  fattening  young  stock  and  is  a  good  winter  feed 
for  all  kinds  of  poultry,  as  it  helps  to  maintain  the 
bodily  warmth.  Old  fowls  do  not  become  fat  so 
readily  on  cracked  corn  as  they  do  on  whole  corn, 
for  the  reason  that  they  have  to  work  harder  to  get 
the  former;  hence,  cracked  corn  may  be  used  with 

136 


FOODS   AND   FEEDING 

less  caution,  and  indeed  in  most  cases  may  be  fed 
with  comparative  liberality.  Always  feed  corn  in 
the  evening,  rather  than  during  the  day. 

Oats  are  an  excellent  poultry  feed,  but  fowls  do 
not,  ordinarily,  take  to  them  as  readily  as  they  do 
to  wheat  and  corn.   Oats  are  good  for 
growing  stock,  going  largely  to  build 
up  muscle  and  flesh;  and  make  an  ideal  summer 
food  for  old  fowls,  because  they  are  neither  heat- 
ing nor  fattening,  and  are  small  enough  to  induce 
plenty  of  exercise  when  scattered  in  litter.     Rolled 
oats  are  excellent  for  baby  chicks,  and  ground  oats 
for  growing  stock. 

That  the  sharp,  pointed  hulls  of  oats  may  dam- 
age or  even  pierce  the  fowl's  craw  is  a  common 
belief  in  some  sections  of  America,  but  this  is  a 
fallacy  over  which  no  one  ordinarily  need  worry. 
If  the  fowls  are  allowed  to  frequently  gorge  them- 
selves on  oats,  or  if  the  oats  used  are  very  sharp 
and  stiff,  some  trouble  may  be  experienced  in  this 
direction;  but  a  good  grade  of  oats  used  judiciously 
will  do  no  harm  whatever. 

Buckwheat,  while  no  better  than  the  three  staple 
grains  just  mentioned,  may  often  be  used  to  good 
Miscellaneous  advantage  to  make  variety  in  the 
Grains  ration. 

Kaffir  corn  is  relished  by  fowls  almost  as  much 
as  Indian  corn,  and  may  be  fed  with  less  caution, 
as  it  is  less  fattening. 

137 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

Millet  seed  is  not  only  nutritious,  but,  being 
very  small,  there  is  nothing  better  to  scatter  in  the 
litter  as  an  inducement  for  the  fowls  to  take  the 
exercise  they  require  in  order  to  keep  their  bodies 
strong  and  rugged.  Throw  a  handful  in  deep 
litter  in  the  morning,  and  there  will  be  some  there 
nearly  all  day  for  the  fowls  to  scratch  and  hunt 
for. 

Rye  is  not  much  used  for  poultry,  as  the  fowls 
do  not  like  it  very  well. 

Beans  and  peas  are  rich  in  nitrogenous  materials. 
They  are  used  quite  commonly  as  poultry  feeds  in 
foreign  countries,  and  their  use  as  such  is  rapidly 
increasing  in  America.  Ground  to  meal,  they  may 
be  used  in  small  quantities  in  mashes. 

Rice  is  palatable  to  fowls  and  is  a  valuable 
starchy  food.  When  available  without  excessive 
cost,  rice  may  well  constitute  a  part  of  the  daily 
ration  of  old  fowls  and  makes  an  excellent  feed 
for  little  chickens. 

Sunflower  seeds  make  a  good  occasional  feed  for 
poultry,  as  they  tend  to  keep  the  feathers  smooth 
and  oily.  For  this  reason  they  are  especially  valu- 
able during  the  molting  period. 

There  are  many  other  feeds  that,  while  they  pos- 
sess no  special  merit  as  a  poultry  feed,  are  good  for 
adding  variety  to  the  ration.  Hemp  seed  and 
linseed  meal  are  very  rich  in  nitrogenous  ingre- 
dients, and  may  be  used  in  limited  quantities  to 

138 


FOODS   AND   FEEDING 

good  advantage.  Waste  bread  and  broken  crack- 
ers can  often  be  secured  at  small  cost,  and  are 
nutritious  and  greatly  relished  by  poultry. 

Animal  foods  in  the  ration  are  necessary  to  take 
the  place  of  the  bugs,  worms  and  insects  which  the 
Animal  hen  would  pick  up  in  the  course  of  her 

Foods  daily  ranging  if  unconfined.  Green 

cut  bone  and  ground  beef  scraps  are  the  most  com- 
mon feeds  used  in  this  connection.  "  Animal 
meal,"  "  bone  meal  "  and  "dried  blood  "  are  the 
names  of  the  three  other  common  commercial  feeds. 
Infertile  or  stale  eggs  can  well  be  utilized  as  a 
poultry  feed,  feeding  them  hard-boiled  or  mixed 
raw  in  the  mash.  Milk,  whole  or  skimmed,  sweet 
or  sour,  or  buttermilk,  is  greatly  relished  by  fowls 
and  is  very  nutritious.  It  may  well  be  used  freely 
where  available  at  low  cost  but  care  must  be  exer- 
cised to  maintain  satisfactory  conditions  of  cleanli- 
ness in  feeding. 

Fresh,  tender  grass  and  the  new  blades  of  grow- 
ing grain  are  greatly  relished  by  fowls,  especially 

if  they  are  allowed  to  do  their  own 
Green  Foods      .  .  ,         .         .  t  t 

harvesting,  that  is,  pick  at  the  green 

stuff  right  where  it  has  grown.  Lawn  clippings  are 
very  good.  All  the  varieties  of  clover  and  alfalfa 
are  excellent,  and  these,  as  well  as  grass,  may  be 
stored  away  and  cured  in  order  to  supply  the  fowls 
in  winter.  The  material  should  be  cut  up  fine  and 
steamed  when  used,  feeding  it  separately  in  troughs 

139 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

or  as  a  foundation  for  a  mash.  Clover  is  not  only 
highly  nitrogenous,  but  is  also  rich  in  lime,  a  sub- 
stance required  by  the  hens  for  producing  shells  for 
their  eggs.  Clover  contains  nearly  thirty  times  as 
much  lime  as  corn  in  proportion  to  their  flesh- 
forming  elements,  and  it  is  in  a  much  more  soluble 
form  in  the  clover  than  in  oyster  shells  or  similar 
material.  Another  thing,  clover  is  not  only  nutri- 
tious, but  bulky,  and  aids  in  the  digestion  of  the 
grain. 

Cabbages  and  mangolds  are  greatly  relished  by 
poultry.  These  should  be  cut  in  halves  and  hung 
up  off  the  floor  so  that  the  fowls  will  have  to  jump 
a  few  inches  to  reach  them.  A  good  way  is  to 
stick  them  on  nails  in  the  walls  of  the  house.  Pota- 
toes are  very  starchy  and  good  for  fattening.  The 
fowls  will  also  eat  turnips,  beets,  carrots,  and 
apples.  All  of  these,  as  well  as  potatoes,  may  be 
fed  raw,  whole  or  chopped  in  pieces;  or  they  may 
be  cooked  and  added  to  the  mash.  Onions  are 
nourishing  and  have  a  tonic  effect,  but  if  used  freely 
are  liable  to  impart  a  strong  flavor  to  the  eggs. 
Lettuce  is  greatly  relished  by  fowls,  and  is  espe- 
cially good  for  little  chicks,  as  are  finely  chopped 
onions  and  onion  tops.  In  short,  it  may  be  said 
that  almost  any  kind  of  grass,  vegetables,  bulbs  or 
tubers  that  the  fowls  will  eat  are  good  for  them. 

Grit,  Without  grit  or  its  equivalent  in  the  giz- 
zard the  hen  cannot  properly  grind  and  digest  her 

140 


FOODS   AND   FEEDING 

food.  Poultry  have  no  teeth,  but  do  all  the  grind- 
ing of  their  food  in  the  gizzard.  Grit,  in  the 
form  of  pebbles,  gravel  and  sand,  may  usually  be 
Grits,  Shells  found  in  sufficiency  by  fowls  having 
and  Charcoal  free  range,  but  in  confinement  it  is  very 
essential  to  provide  a  supply  so  that  the  birds  may 
keep  their  gizzards  constantly  supplied  with  mill- 
stones. 

Oyster  Shells.  Laying  hens  call  for  extra  large 
amounts  of  carbonate  of  lime  for  making  egg 
shells,  which  may  be  supplied  in  crushed  oyster 
shells.  The  shells  will  also  furnish  grit,  but  not 
enough  to  suffice,  as  they  are  soluble. 

Charcoal  contains  no  nourishment,  but  is  one  of 
the  best  poultry  "  correctors  "  known,  having  a 
healthy  influence,  especially  in  cases  of  indigestion 
or  improper  feeding.  It  may  be  fed  in  granulated 
form,  like  grit,  or  in  powdered  form  and  added  to 
the  mash.  If  you  want  to  avoid  bowel  disorders 
among  your  fowls,  use  plenty  of  charcoal.  We 
keep  it  in  hoppers  before  our  fowls  all  the  time. 

In  order  to  stimulate  young  stock  to  eat  large 
quantities  of  food,  so  that  they  might  make  more 
improving  rapid  growth,  or  to  make  oats  more 
Palatability  attractive  to  old  fowls,  so  that  we 
of  Grain  Feed  mjght  fee(j  larger  quantities  of  that 

grain  than  of  any  other  in  order  to  avoid  fattening 
the  birds,  I  have  often  resorted  to  the  practice  of 
soaking  the  grain  in  water  for  twenty-four  hours 

141 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

or  such  a  matter  before  feeding.  The  birds  not 
only  relish  the  grains  more  when  treated  in  this 
way,  but  the  size  of  the  grains  is  also  increased  and 
the  feed  will  go  further.  Fill  any  ordinary  pail, 
kettle  or  tub  three-quarters  full  of  grain  and  thor- 
oughly cover  with  water,  letting  stand  about  twelve 
hours  before  feeding. 

Sprouted  Grains.  One  time,  while  soaking 
some  wheat  in  this  way,  I  accidentally  overlooked 
one  pail  of  feed,  and  two  or  three  days  later,  when 
it  was  discovered,  a  great  deal  of  the  wheat  had 
begun  to  sprout.  This  was  fed  to  the  birds,  and 
the  extreme  relish  with  which  they  ate  it  seemed 
significant.  After  that  we  did  considerable  experi- 
menting with  sprouted  grains  for  poultry,  not  only 
wheat,  but  also  oats.  As  a  result  of  this  I  have 
continued  using  sprouted  grains  for  poultry  down 
to  this  day,  and  will  continue  doing  so,  as  the  results 
have  always  made  the  extra  work  profitable. 

There  is  nothing  better  to  cause  young  stock  to 
eat  large  quantities  of  food,  and  there  is  no  surer 
way  of  improving  the  palatability  of  oats  so  that 
the  old  fowls'  diet  may  be  composed  almost,  if  not 
quite,  entirely  of  that  grain  without  the  fowls  ob- 
jecting to  it;  also,  where  fowls  are  kept  in  close 
confinement,  the  sprouts  go  a  long  way  toward 
solving  the  green-food  problem,  as  the  birds  like 
the  sprouts  better  than  any  other  kind  of  green 
stuff  that  can  be  supplied.  In  fact,  I  consider  and 

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FOODS    AND   FEEDING 

have  proved  this  idea  to  be  of  inestimable  value 
toward  the  most  successful  feeding  of  poultry  in 
confinement.  The  ordinary  feed  bill  may  be  con- 
siderably reduced  by  the  use  of  this  method,  for 
one  pailful  of  dry  grain  will  fill  two  or  three  pails 
when  sprouted.  I  know  of  no  better  feeds  than 
sprouted  grain  and  green  cut  bone  with  which  to 
stimulate  egg  production  in  a  natural,  healthy  way, 
or  to  cause  rapid,  thrifty  growth  among  young 
poultry. 

Wheat  germinates  quicker  than  oats  and  makes 
the  better  feed  for  young  stock,  as  it  keeps  them  in 
better  flesh.  The  sprouts  should  not  be  allowed  to 
get  more  than  one-fourth  of  an  inch  long  on  wheat 
and  one-third  or  one-half  of  an  inch  long  on  oats, 
if  the  full  feeding  strength  of  the  grain  is  to  be 
preserved;  the  green  food  value  of  the  sprouts  is 
gained  extra.  If  this  food  is  desired  mostly  to 
supply  green  stuff,  the  spouts  may  be  allowed  to 
develop  to  a  length  of  several  inches  before  being 
fed. 

In  preparing  the  feed,  first  soak  the  grain  for 
twenty-four  hours  in  a  pail  or  tub ;  then  empty  in  a 
box  with  holes  bored  in  the  bottom,  which  will 
allow  the  water  to  drain  off ;  if  necessary,  divide  the 
grain  among  several  boxes,  as  it  should  not  be  more 
than  four  or  five  inches  deep  for  best  results;  lay 
several  thicknesses  of  heavy  cloth  or  a  blanket  over 
the  grain,  so  that  it  will  not  dry  out  too  much  or 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

lose  its  warmth;  sprinkle  with  warm  water  and 
thoroughly  stir  the  grain  around  morning  and 
evening,  in  order  to  prevent  the  sprouts  from  mat- 
ting together  in  masses  and  to  equalize  the  germin- 
ation of  the  sprouts  in  various  parts  of  the  box; 
in  a  day  or  two  they  will  commence  to  generate 
heat,  and  then  may  soon  be  fed.  In  the  winter 
time  the  germination  must  be  carried  on  in  a  com- 
paratively warm  room,  but  in  the  summer  time 
almost  any  location  will  do. 

A  constant  and  never-failing  supply  of  pure, 
fresh  water  is  as  necessary  for  the  health  and  com- 
The  Supply  f°rt  of  poultry  as  any  other  kind  of 
of  Drinking  live  stock.  At  the  same  time  it  is 
Water  unnecessary  to  supply  water  three  or 

four  times  a  day,  except  perhaps  in  extreme  cold 
weather,  when  this  has  to  be  done  to  keep  the  water 
from  freezing.  Fountains  should  be  of  sufficient 
size  that  they  shall  not  have  to  be  filled  more  than 
once  a  day;  but  no  matter  how  big  the  fountain  is, 
fresh  water  should  be  supplied  every  day,  as  other- 
wise it  will  become  stale  and  more  or  less  foul. 
When  fresh  water  is  given,  it  should  not  merely  be 
added  to  that  already  in  the  vessel,  but  all  the  old 
water  should  be  thrown  away  and  replaced  with 
fresh.  Warm  water  should  always  be  supplied 
in  cold  weather,  especially  to  little  chicks.  It  is 
a  good  plan  to  scald  out  the  drinking  vessels 
every  week  or  two,  adding  a  little  good  disinfectant 

144 


FOODS   AND   FEEDING 

to  the  hot  water  in  order  to  prevent  or  kill  disease 
germs. 

For  old  fowls  it  is  desirable  to  have  the  ves- 
sel up  off  the  floor  a  little  distance,  as  otherwise 
they  will  scratch  and  throw  considerable  dirt  and 
litter  into  the  water  and  soon  foul  it.  In  this  con- 
nection regular  wall  drinking  fountains  may  be 
used,  as  illustrated  in  Chapter  Five,  or  if  the  other 
kind  is  used,  they  may  be  set  a  few  inches  above  the 
ground  on  little  shelves  or  boxes.  A  cheese  box, 
split  in  halves  around  the  sides,  is  a  cheap  and  effi- 
cient means  of  accomplishing  the  desired  end. 


HATCHING  AND    REARING   CHICKS 


CHAPTER   X 

HATCHING  AND   REARING   CHICKS 

BEFORE  setting  any  hen,  make  sure  that  she 
means  business  and  is  really  in  earnest  in 
her  apparent  desire  to  sit;  this  is  especially 
important  if  the  hen  has  never  before  had  similar 
experience.     The  strength   of  her   determination 
Hatching         may  be  tested  by  letting  her  sit  on  sev- 
with  Hens       eral   spoiled   eggs    for   a   few    days. 
If  she  is  very  fidgety  and  nervous  she  might  as  well 
not  be  set,  as  she  will  in  all  probability  make  a  poor 
hatcher  as  well  as  a  poor  mother. 

Most  hens  that  leave  their  nests  after  the  end  of 
the  first  week  do  so  because  of  lice  and  not  because 
of  "  contrariness,"  as  is  generally  supposed.  Mites 
and  lice  thrive  better  and  multiply  more  rapidly  on 
sitting  hens  than  any  other  place  I  know  of.  And 
a  hen  afflicted  with  vermin  cannot  and  does  not 
ever  rest  well,  nor  can  she  hatch  with  any  degree 
of  comfort.  Even  under  favorable  conditions  it 
is  a  tiresome  and  weakening  task  for  a  hen  to  sit 
steadily  for  three  weeks. 

149 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

As  soon  as  a  hen  shows  inclination  to  sit,  she 
should  be  thoroughly  dusted  with  a  reliable  brand 
of  insect  powder,  and  this  operation  may  profitably 
be  repeated  once  or  twice  during  the  hatch.  Pro- 
vide dust  baths  in  which  the  hens  may  wallow  when 
they  come  off  to  feed ;  this  breaks  the  monotony  of 
sitting  life  by  providing  the  hen  with  enjoyable 
exercise,  as  well  as  smothering  many  of  the  vermin 
in  the  dust.  Neither  lard  nor  grease  of  any  kind 
should  ever  be  applied  to  the  body  of  a  hen  while 
she  is  sitting,  as  it  would  be  fatal  to  the  embryo 
chicks. 

As  many  hens  as  possible  should  be  set  at  one 
time,  for  in  this  way  the  infertile  eggs  may  be 
tested  out  at  the  end  of  the  first  week  and  the  re- 
maining good  eggs  divided  up  among  the  number 
of  hens  necessary  to  cover  them,  sending  the  other 
hens  back  to  laying  again  or  resetting  them.  The 
use  of  this  same  plan  after  the  chicks  are  hatched 
also  simplifies  matters  then,  because  a  hen  usually 
is  capable  of  looking  after  a  greater  number  of 
chicks  than  she  herself  can  hatch;  that  is,  three 
hens  can  brood  as  many  chicks  as  four  or  five  can 
hatch. 

The  three  great  things,  so  far  as  location  and 
environment  are  concerned,  for  comfort  among 
sitting  hens,  are  quiet,  warmth,  and  subdued  light. 
The  nests  should  be  large  enough  to  allow  the  hens 
plenty  of  room  to  change  their  positions,  but  over- 

150 


HATCHING  AND   REARING   CHICKS 

large  ones  are  to  be  avoided,  as  the  eggs  will  roll 
around  in  such  nests.  Excelsior  makes  the  best 
nesting  material;  straw  and  hay  arc  usually  too 
coarse  and  stiff. 

I  always  keep  a  little  slip  of  paper  attached  to 
each  nest  box  occupied  by  a  sitting  hen,  and  on  this 
is  written  the  date  when  the  hen  was  set  and  when 
she  will  hatch.  Some  other  people  I  know  of  write 
on  each  nest  box  with  chalk,  as  this  can  be  erased 
at  the  completion  of  each  hatch.  Certainly  some 
such  method  should  be  followed,  because  serious 
mistakes  are  often  made  when  one  trusts  the 
remembering  of  dates  to  his  memory. 

Whenever  possible  sitting  hens  should  be  located 
where  they  cannot  be  disturbed  by  the  members  of 
the  main  flock,  as  this  will  often  prevent  broken 
eggs  and  deserted  nests.  If  an  egg  should  happen 
to  become  broken  in  the  nest,  always  remove  the 
soiled  nesting  material  and  replace  with  fresh  and 
wash  all  soiled  eggs,  or  otherwise  the  pores  will 
become  closed  and  the  ventilation  of  the  chick  will 
be  interfered  with,  and  a  foul  smell  be  present  in 
the  nest. 

Ordinarily,  the  less  a  sitting  hen  is  disturbed  the 
better.  I  never  sprinkle  the  eggs  nor  indulge  in 
any  of  the  other  unnecessary  and  often  harmful 
practices  sometimes  advised.  Briefly,  the  best  way 
to  care  for  a  sitting  hen  is  to  let  her  alone;  she 
knows  her  own  business. 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

In  a  perfect  hatch  the  chicks  begin  to  pip  the 
shells  on  the  twentieth  day,  and  all  are  out  by  the 
What  to  do  at  end  of  the  twenty-first  day.  Hatches 
Hatching  Time  abnormally  early  or  late  are  not  de- 
sirable, as  the  chicks  are  not  so  strong  and  thrifty 
as  those  that  hatch  at  just  the  proper  time.  The 
more  nearly  simultaneously  a  hatch  comes  off,  and 
the  quicker  the  hatch  cleans  up,  the  better.  The 
best  hatches  I  ever  had  were  those  that  reminded 
me  the  most  strongly  of  popping  corn. 

As  a  rule  it  does  not  pay  to  help  chicks  out  of 
their  shells.  A  chick  that  has  not  sufficient  strength 
and  vitality  to  free  itself  from  the  shell  without 
aid  does  not  deserve  aid,  for  it  will  scarcely  survive 
many  days,  or  if  it  does,  it  will  not  amount  to  much, 
but  probably  will  always  be  a  runt.  Then,  aside 
from  this,  it  is  always  more  or  less  harmful  for  the 
attendant  to  interfere  at  hatching  time.  If  the  hen 
is  disturbed  she  is  likely  to  move  around  and  tram- 
ple on  strong  chicks  that  would  otherwise  have 
fared  all  right.  With  an  incubator,  a  frequent 
opening  of  the  doors  at  hatching  time  is  bad  prac- 
tice, because  this  allows  the  cold  outside  air  to  blow 
in  over  the  weak,  wet  chicks,  chilling  them  and  dry- 
ing out  the  air  and  absorbing  a  large  part  of  the 
moisture  that  is  very  essential  in  the  hatching 
chamber  at  this  time. 

However,  I  find  that  it  usually  is  a  good  plan  to 
open  the  incubator  doors  when  the  hatch  is  about 

152 


HATCHING  AND   REARING   CHICKS 

two-thirds  over;  this  is  done  because  by  this  time 
the  empty  egg  shells  are  getting  almost  too  numer- 
ous for  the  size  of  the  egg  trays,  and  sometimes 
there  are  large,  perfectly  dry  chicks  which  have 
failed  to  find  their  way  to  the  nursery  below,  but 
which  should  be  quickly  dispatched  there  to  get 
them  out  of  the  way  of  the  chicks  just  hatching; 
also,  empty  egg  shells  sometimes  slip  over  pipped 
eggs,  shutting  off  the  chick's  supply  of  air  by  en- 
closing its  breathing  place. 

Should  there  happen  to  be  any  crippled  or  de- 
formed chicks  in  the  lot,  they  should  be  promptly 
killed.  It  usually  is  only  a  waste  of  time  to  try 
to  raise  such  chicks,  and  it  always  requires  more 
time  and  effort  than  the  chicks  are  worth.  This  is 
a  point  over  which  beginners  always  hesitate  or 
falter,  but  the  law  of  Nature  of  "  the  survival  of 
only  the  fittest "  is  sure  to  obtain  sooner  or  later, 
and  one  might  as  well  save  himself  unnecessary 
trouble  by  taking  the  matter  into  his  own  hands 
right  at  the  very  outset  as  I  have  suggested. 

Warm,  dry,  comfortable  quarters  should  have 
been  provided  for  the  old  mother  hen  and  her 
brood  some  little  time  before  necessary  to  remove 
them  from  the  nest.  In  the  case  of  a  brooder,  the 
lamp  should  be  started  at  least  twenty-four  hours 
before  the  chicks  will  need  to  be  placed  in  the 
machine,  so  that  the  flame  may  be  regulated  to 
maintain  the  correct  temperature. 

153 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

It  is  best  not  to  be  in  too  big  a  hurry  to  re- 
move chicks  from  the  incubator  or  from  the  nest. 
No  chick  should  ever  be  disturbed  until  it  has  be- 
come thoroughly  dried  off  and  has  had  some  little 
time  to  gain  strength.  When  removed,  incubator 
chicks  should  be  placed  in  a  deep  basket  and  cov- 
ered with  warm  cloths  or  burlap.  With  a  hen  the 
chicks  should  be  cared  for  in  much  the  same  man- 
ner while  being  transferred  to  their  coop,  while 
the  mother  may  be  carried  in  the  hands  of  the 
attendant. 

Just  prior  to  exclusion  from  the  shell  the  chick 
takes  into  its  body  the  comparatively  large  unab- 
What  and  sorbed  remnant  of  the  yolk  of  the 
How  to  egg,  and  this  alone  is  sufficient  to 

Feed  Chicks  support  ufe  for  several  days.  The 

author  never  feeds  his  chicks  until  they  are  at 
least  forty-eight  hours  old;  frequently  not  until 
they  are  sixty  hours  old,  and  sometimes  not  until 
they  are  seventy-two  hours  old.  Chicks  have  been 
known  in  extreme  cases  to  thrive  when  given  no 
supplied  food  until  they  were  five  or  six  days  old, 
so  to  withhold  food  for  two  or  three  days  is  no 
hardship,  but  really  the  best  thing  that  can  be  done. 
No  water  is  given  until  after  the  chicks  have  been 
fed  their  first  meal;  after  this  time  it  is  kept  con- 
stantly before  the  chicks  as  there  is  thus  less  danger 
of  over-drinking  than  where  water  is  supplied  only 
at  intervals.  Grit  and  charcoal  are  also  placed 

154 


HATCHING   AND   REARING   CHICKS 

before  the  chicks  at  the  same  time  they  are  given 
their  first  meal,  and  these  materials  are  kept  con- 
stantly before  the  chicks  ever  afterward. 

There  is  no  infallible  formula  for  the  feeding 
of  little  chicks ;  this  applies  with  equal  force  to  the 
kind  and  amount  of  feed.  The  dry-feed  method 
is  now  very  popular  and  in  the  most  common 
use.  By  the  "  dry-feed  "  method  is  meant  the  rear- 
ing of  little  chicks  on  small  grains  and  cracked 
seeds,  without  any  such  thing  as  "  soft  food  "  or 
mashes.  I  have  been  using  this  method  of  feeding 
chicks  on  the  Buff  Rock  Farm  for  several  years 
now,  and  results  have  been  very  satisfactory  indeed ; 
so  much  so,  in  fact,  that  I  would  not  now  think  of 
returning  to  the  tedious  and  more  expensive  mashes 
and  johnnycake  methods.  While,  to  be  sure,  the 
day  of  this  last-mentioned  manner  of  feeding  is 
not  yet  quite  past,  still  the  novice  will  be  on  much 
the  safer  side  if  he  adopts  the  dry- feed  method 
exclusively. 

Chicks  not  only  relish  a  variety  of  foods,  but 
actually  require  a  variety  for  maximum  growth 
and  thrift.  There  is  no  better  way  to  provide 
variety  than  to  use  one  of  the  prepared  chick  feeds. 
These  feeds  contain  eight  or  ten  different  kinds  of 
small  seeds  and  cracked  grains,  are  fed  dry  and 
with  absolutely  no  waste,  and  are  mixed  together 
in  just  the  correct  proportions  so  that  the 
feeder  is  relieved  of  the  bother  and  uncertainty  of 

155 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

"  balancing "  the  ration.  These  feeds  contain 
everything  in  the  way  of  grain  that  a  chick  needs 
to  promote  vigor  and  growth,  and  chicks  may  be 
raised  on  this  prepared  feed  alone  until  they  are 
five  or  six  weeks  old,  providing  meat  and  green 
stuff  are  supplied.  The  feed  may  be  purchased  in 
any  quantity  desired,  and  usually  sells  for  two  to 
three  dollars  per  hundred-pound  bag.  At  that 
price  it  is  as  cheap  as  anything  that  can  be  fed  to 
little  chicks  with  satisfactory  results. 

There  are  very  few  cases  where  it  is  not  better 
for  one  to  purchase  the  prepared  feed  than  it 
would  be  for  him  to  mix  it  himself.  However,  at 
out-of-the-way  places,  where  railroad  facilities  are 
poor  and  transportation  charges  excessive,  it  some- 
times is  cheaper  to  mix  the  feed  at  home.  In  this 
case,  here  is  a  good  formula  to  follow : 

45  Ibs.  cracked  wheat 

20  Ibs.  cracked  corn  (with  meal  sifted  out) 

15  Ibs.  millet  seed 

10  Ibs.  hulled  oats 

10  Ibs.  broken  rice. 

If  the  hulled  oats  cannot  be  procured,  pinhead 
oatmeal,  such  as  can  be  purchased  at  any  grocery, 
may  be  substituted. 

Never  feed  chicks  on  a  bare  surface.  Scatter  all 
their  food  in  a  litter  two  or  three  inches  deep,  as 
this  induces  the  chicks  to  take  healthful  exercise 
scratching  and  hunting  for  the  grains.  It  also  is  a 

156 


HATCHING   AND    REARING   CHICKS 

great  aid  in  keeping  the  chicks  busy  and  contented. 
Chicks  that  do  not  get  sufficient  exercise  are  suscep- 
tible to  leg  weakness,  bowel  diseases,  and  other  ills ; 
therefore,  make  them  work  for  all  they  get,  and 
have  no  fear  that  they  will  not  get  enough  food 
because  it  is  buried  in  litter.  Chaff  from  the  mow 
floor  makes  the  best  scratching  material,  especially 
when  the  chicks  are  quite  small,  as  they  greatly 
relish  the  minute  hay  seed  it  contains. 

If  you  make  use  of  soft  food,  first  of  all  be  sure 
that  you  are  feeding  a  mash  and  not  a  slop.  Then 
be  careful  to  place  all  food  in  small  troughs  or 
pans;  never  throw  soft  food  upon  the  ground  or 
upon  the  floor  of  the  brooder,  where  it  quickly 
becomes  fouled  and  a  potent  source  of  disease. 
Only  as  much  should  be  placed  before  the  chicks 
at  one  time  as  they  will  eat  up  clean  in  a  few 
minutes.  The  troughs  or  pans  should  be  thor- 
oughly cleaned  after  each  meal  and  scalded  with 
boiling  water  every  week  or  ten  days.  In  a  word, 
keep  everything  sweet  and  clean;  soured,  contam- 
inated food  and  filthy  troughs  are  frequent  sources 
of  bowel  disorders  among  little  chicks. 

Wheat  screenings  can  often  be  fed  at  slight  cost, 
and  in  such  cases  their  use  is  all  right ;  but  where 
they  cost  nearly  as  much  as  wheat,  use  the  latter 
grain,  as  it  contains  more  nourishment.  Milk  I  do 
not  consider  quite  so  excellent  a  food  for  little 
chicks  as  do  many  people,  not  because  the  milk  is 

157 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

not  nourishing,  but  rather  because  of  the  great  dan- 
ger of  soiled,  bedaubed  plumage  on  the  chicks  and 
general  unsanitary  conditions  in  feeding  it.  Our 
chicks  receive  little,  if  any,  milk  until  they  are  at 
least  ten  days  old.  After  that  time,  however,  it 
may,  if  obtainable,  be  given  rather  freely  with  no 
ill  results,  so  long  as  proper  cleanliness  is  observed 
in  feeding. 

There  are  other  feeds  besides  grain  that  fill 
important  positions  in  the  chick's  bill  of  fare. 
Meat,  green  food,  grit,  charcoal,  etc. — all  have 
their  proper  places.  For  meat,  green  cut  bone  is 
probably  best,  but  there  is  not  much  difference  in 
the  results  obtained  from  the  use  of  this  material 
and  the  prepared  meat  foods. 

Green  food  is  of  great  assistance  in  securing 
thrifty,  rapid-growing  chicks.  It  may  be  supplied 
in  various  forms  and  ways,  as  best  suits  the  con- 
venience of  the  attendant.  Lettuce,  cabbage,  rape 
— in  fact  any  kind  of  vegetable  matter — all  are 
good  for  the  chicks.  The  important  part  is  to  see 
that  they  get  something  in  the  way  of  green  stuff, 
as  otherwise  there  cannot  be  maximum  growth  and 
thrift. 

Grit  should  be  placed  before  the  chicks  as  soon 
as  they  are  given  their  first  meal,  and  should  be 
constantly  accessible  to  them  ever  afterward.  This 
material  is  the  only  teeth  the  chicks  have,  or  ever 
will  have,  and  without  it  they  cannot  properly 

158 


HATCHING  AND   REARING   CHICKS 

grind  and  digest  their  food.  Coarse  sand  will 
answer  the  purpose  fairly  well  for  the  first  few 
days  of  the  chick's  life,  but  after  that  some  coarser 
material  must  be  provided. 

Charcoal  is  of  great  assistance  in  keeping  the 
chicks'  bowels  well  regulated,  and  it  is  invaluable 
in  cases  of  bowel  disorders  or  improper  feeding. 
Keep  some  setting  around  where  the  chicks  may 
pick  at  it  at  all  times,  but  remember  that  if  ex- 
posed to  the  air  it  will  gradually  lose  its  valuable 
properties,  as  it  will  absorb  the  impurities  from 
the  air. 

Cleanliness  is  very  important  with  little  chicks. 
Filth  allowed  to  collect  in  any  quantity,  whether  in 
The  General  tne  brooder,  roosting  coop,  or  yards, 
Care  of  lowers  vitality  and  invites  disease. 

Chicks  j£eep  tke  floor  0£  the  brooder  or  coop 

lightly  covered  with  sand,  hay  chaff,  cut  hay  or 
clover,  or  some  similar  material,  and  sweep  this 
out,  together  with  the  droppings  and  accumulated 
filth,  every  two  or  three  days.  If  the  coops  are 
crowded,  they  must  be  cleaned  that  much  more  fre- 
quently. It  often  is  a  good  plan  to  put  a  layer  of 
heavy  paper  on  the  floor  of  the  brooder,  and  then 
all  the  litter  and  droppings  may  be  removed  simply 
by  taking  out  the  paper.  Disinfect  the  brooders 
every  few  weeks. 

Don't  hatch  out  more  chicks  than  you  feel  abso- 
lutely sure  you  can  properly  look  after.  When  the 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

first  pretty  downy  little  balls  of  life  arrive  it  is  a 
temptation  to  want  lots  of  them;  but  most  people 
who  raise  a  limited  number  of  chickens  lead  busy 
lives,  and  after  the  first  enthusiasm  passes  off — 
usually  at  the  end  of  the  first  week  or  two — they 
find  that  either  for  lack  of  time,  room,  or,  alas  I 
sometimes  of  inclination,  the  chicks  must  suffer. 
And  it  is  an  indisputable  fact  that,  in  order  to 
attain  maximum  success  with  little  chicks,  no  detail, 
no  matter  how  small  and  insignificant  it  may  seem, 
dares  to  be  slighted;  every  little  thing  counts,  and 
a  few  chicks  well  cared  for  are  better  property 
than  twice  that  many  half  cared  for. 

Don't  put  too  many  chicks  together  in  one 
bunch;  large  broods  are  entirely  unnatural,  and 
death  from  crowding  often  results.  It  is  better 
in  all  respects  to  limit  the  number  of  chicks  kept 
together  in  one  lot,  whether  they  are  kept  with 
hens  or  in  a  brooder.  Crowding  usually  develops 
many  unexpected  troubles,  as  well  as  those  com- 
monly known  to  result  from  such  practices.  Fif- 
teen to  twenty  chicks  are  as  many  as  one  hen  of 
good  size  can  satisfactorily  look  after,  while  the 
biggest  individual  brooder  made  should  not  con- 
tain more  than  one  hundred  chicks.  Most 
machines  give  the  best  results  when  they  contain 
not  more  than  sixty  to  seventy-five  chicks,  and  forty 
or  fifty  is  usually  the  safest  number. 

Lice  and  mites  often  cause  much  disappoint- 
160 


HATCHING   AND    REARING   CHICKS 

ment  and  loss  with  little  chicks.  Hen-hatched 
chicks  are  sure  to  be  more  or  less  lousy,  and  even 
incubator-hatched  chicks  are  seldom  free  from  the 
pests.  The  only  sure  way  of  keeping  the  vermin 
under  control  is  to  begin  fighting  them  as  soon  as 
the  chicks  are  hatched  and  keep  it  up  all  along  the 
line.  A  reliable  brand  of  louse  powder  will  fix  the 
body  lice,  but  has  no  effect  upon  the  red  mites 
which  infest  the  coops.  These  must  be  eradicated 
by  spraying  or  painting  the  coops  or  brooders  with 
some  good  liquid  lice  paint  or  with  common  kero- 
sene oil.  For  further  advice  on  this  subject,  see 
Chapter  Fifteen. 

The  Best  Temperature  for  Brooders.  The 
maintenance  of  the  correct  temperature  in  the 
brooder  is  a  very  important  matter.  It  seems  to 
be  comparatively  easy  for  the  average  beginner 
to  keep  his  brooder  either  too  hot  or  too  cold  dur- 
ing the  night,  and  the  one  extreme  is  about  as 
common  and  as  serious  as  the  other;  chilling  pro- 
duces bowel  disorders  and  other  ailments,  while 
too  much  heat  will  give  you  a  bunch  of  "  hot 
house "  chicks  that  are  lacking  in  vitality  and 
stamina. 

Most  experienced  poultrymen  regulate  the 
temperature  of  their  brooders  more  by  the  actions 
of  the  chicks  than  by  the  use  of  a  thermome- 
ter. When  the  chicks  spread  out  on  the  floor  of 
the  brooder  in  a  contented  manner  and  soon  go  to 

161 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

sleep,  the  temperature  is  just  suited  to  them;  if 
too  cold,  they  bunch  up  and  each  one  tries  to  get 
as  close  to  the  others  as  it  can ;  if  too  warm,  they 
scatter  apart  as  widely  as  they  can,  spread  their 
wings  out  from  their  bodies,  and  breathe  faster 
than  ordinary,  or  even  pant. 

So  far  as  rules  are  concerned,  ninety-five  to  one 
hundred  degrees  is  usually  considered  the  best  tem- 
perature to  maintain  under  the  hover  for  the  first 
day  or  two.  Remember  in  warming  up  the  hover 
that  a  bunch  of  chicks  in  it  will  raise  the  tempera- 
ture five  to  ten  degrees  with  their  animal  heat. 
Gradually  lessen  the  amount  of  heat  supplied  from 
the  time  the  chicks  are  placed  in  the  brooder  until 
they  are  able  to  do  without  supplied  heat.  At  the 
end  of  the  first  week  the  temperature  should  not 
exceed  ninety  degrees.  At  the  end  of  the  third 
week  the  temperature  of  the  hover,  when  the  chicks 
are  in  it,  should  be  about  eighty  degrees. 

It  is  very  desirable  that  the  brooder  temperature 
be  reduced  as  rapidly  as  possible,  and  the  chicks 
weaned  away  from  artificial  heat.  How  rapidly 
this  may  be  done  depends  very  largely  upon  the 
weather  conditions,  and  also  somewhat  upon  the 
nature  of  the  breed  to  which  the  chicks  belong.  In 
winter  or  early  spring  it  may  be  found  desirable 
to  supply  heat  in  the  brooder  until  the  chicks  are 
five  or  six  weeks  old.  At  all  times,  however,  it 
should  be  remembered  that  a  bunch  of  lusty,  grow- 

162 


Bone  Grinder 


Fertile  Egg 


Egg  Tester 


Coop  No.  2  for  Hen  with  Chicks 


HATCHING  AND   REARING   CHICKS 

ing  chicks  generate  a  surprisingly  large  amount  of 
bodily  warmth,  and  they  should  be  made  to  become 
accustomed  to  do  without  artificial  heat  as  soon  as 
possible,  both  for  their  own  hardiness  and  thrift 
and  for  the  economy  of  the  owner. 

The  illustration  entitled  "  Coop  No.  I  for  Old 
Hen  and  Chicks,"  shows  an  excellent  brood  coop 
for  hen  and  chicks.  It  is  3x6  feet  in  size,  30 

inches  high  in  the  middle  and  22 
Brood  Coops  .  .  .  ,  ,  r^.  ... 

inches  high  at  ends.  The  illustra- 
tion shows  one  side  of  the  coop,  and  the  other  side 
is  just  the  same.  The  back  is  boarded  up  solid. 
The  window  in  each  side  is  6  x  1 8  inches.  The 
wire  screen  is  1 2  inches  high.  The  roof  is  covered 
with  roofing  fabric  and  hinged  as  shown  in  picture. 
To  facilitate  cleaning  and  to  prevent  damp  sleep- 
ing quarters,  the  rear  half  of  the  coop  has  a  remov- 
able board  floor,  which  lies  on  blocks  that  raise  it 
two  or  three  inches  above  the  ground.  A  slat 
partition  may  be  placed  in  the  middle  of  the  coop, 
if  this  is  desired,  confining  the  old  mother  hen  to 
the  rear  of  the  coop  and  giving  the  little  ones  the 
run  of  the  entire  coop.  After  the  chicks  are  a  week 
or  so  old  they  should  be  given  their  liberty  out- 
doors, and  then  the  hen  may  be  allowed  possession 
of  the  entire  coop  if  this  be  desired.  It  usually  is 
best  not  to  allow  the  hen  her  freedom,  as  she  will 
often  lead  the  chicks  into  undesirable  places,  such 
as  wet  grass,  shrubbery,  etc. 

163 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

The  illustration  entitled  "  Coop  No.  2  for  Hen 
and  Chicks,"  shows  a  coop  which  in  many  ways  is 
even  more  satisfactory  and  convenient  than  the  one 
previously  described.  It  is  4  feet  6  inches  wide,  2 
feet  deep,  i  foot  9  inches  high  in  front,  and  i  foot 
3  inches  high  at  the  rear.  As  can  be  seen  from  the 
illustration  it  has  two  apartments — a  closed  or 
house  part,  and  a  wire-enclosed  shelter  or  exercise 
room.  The  house  part — i  foot  9  inches  by  2  feet 
— is  provided  with  a  removable  floor,  and  is  sepa- 
rated from  the  exercise  room  by  a  wooden  parti- 
tion with  galvanized  wire-cloth  window  and  a  door 
which  admits  light  and  air.  The  exercise  room — 
2  feet  6  inches  by  2  feet — is  closed  at  the  end,  and 
screened  with  fine-mesh  galvanized  iron  wire  back 
and  front,  providing  a  roomy  shelter  for  the  hen 
and  chicks.  The  combination  door  in  the  front  of 
the  coop  permits  the  chicks  to  enjoy  the  advantages 
of  free  range,  while  the  mother  hen  is  safely 
confined. 

Either  one  of  the  two  brood  coops  described  and 
illustrated  may  be  used  as  a  home  for  the  chicks 
long  after  they  are  weaned  by  the  hen,  also  for  a 
small  flock  of  chickens  that  are  old  enough  to  be 
taken  from  the  brooder  or  brooder  house  and 
colonized  out-of-doors.  A  number  of  these  coops 
with  broods  of  chicks  may  safely  be  placed  in  the 
garden  or  berry  patch,  where  the  little  chicks  can 
range  at  will,  and  thrive  on  bugs  and  worms  with- 

164 


Chick  shelter  No.  i 


Chick  shelter  No.  2.    Same  as  No.  3  except  arrangement  of  roof 


HATCHING   AND    REARING    CHICKS 

out  injury  to  the  garden  or  crops.  In  addition  to 
protecting  the  chicks  from  the  weather,  these  coops 
also  provide  safety  from  cats,  rats,  and  hawks. 

The  majority  of  the  outdoor  brooders  give  the 
best  results  when  operated  under  cover,  where 
they  are  more  or  less  protected  from  the  elements. 
Even  the  large  colony  brooders  give  the  best  results 
when  the  chicks  have  some  protection  other  than 
that  furnished  by  the  brooder  itself.  In  winter 
and  spring  weather  it  is  often  too  cold  for  the 
chicks  to  be  outdoors  in  the  open,  and  no  brooder 
has  enough  floor  space  to  comfortably  house  fifty 
or  more  chicks  all  the  time  for  a  week  or  more. 

Shelters  for  Chicks.  While  it  is  detrimental 
to  the  health  and  vitality  of  the  chicks  to 
allow  them  to  run  in  wet  grass,  or  before  the 
dew  is  off  in  the  morning,  it  is  also  detri- 
mental to  keep  them  confined  in  the  brooder  for 
several  hours.  We  have  a  covered  run  attached  to 
each  brooder,  and  the  chicks  make  use  of  this 
during  the  early  morning  hours  and  during  rain 
storms.  By  the  use  of  these  shelters  the  chicks 
have  an  outdoor  run  where  they  are  protected  from 
sun  and  storm  and  also  from  marauding  animals 
that  so  often  reduce  the  flocks,  especially  where 
chicks  are  reared  on  town  and  city  lots.  The 
run  is  made  by  covering  a  wooden  frame  with 
one-inch  mesh  wire  netting.  We  have  three  dif- 
ferent styles  in  use  on  the  Buff  Rock  Farm,  and 

165 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

illustrations  of  them  appear  herewith.  The  ones 
with  the  slope  in  the  roof  all  one  way  are  two  feet 
high  in  front  and  fifteen  inches  high  in  the  rear. 
The  other  one  is  fifteen  inches  high  at  the  sides 
and  twenty-five  inches  high  in  the  middle.  Both 
styles  are  3x6  feet  in  size  on  our  plant,  but  may 
be  made  any  dimensions  desired. 


166 


Chick  shelter  No.  3,  with  storm  screens  and  roof  removed 
to  show  construction  of  shelter 


Chick  shelter  No.  3,  with  muslin  storm  screens  in  place 


REARING  CHICKS  AFTER  BROODING 
AGE 


CHAPTER  XI 

REARING  CHICKS  AFTER  BROODING  AGE 

THE  best  time  to  wean  the  chicks  from  the 
mother  hen  depends  a  great  deal  more 
upon  the  hen  than  upon  the  chicks;  some 
hens  will  leave  their  chicks  and  commence  laying 
again  before  the  chicks  can  safely  be  left  to  look 
Weaning  out  for  themselves,  while  others  will 
the  Chicks  stay  with  the  chicks  for  weeks — some- 
times until  after  they  have  returned  to  laying. 

As  a  general  thing  it  is  a  good  plan  to  allow  the 
chicks  to  have  as  much  of  the  time  and  attention  of 
the  old  hen  as  she  is  willing  to  give  them,  unless 
she  is  exceptionally  persistent  in  remaining  with 
them  for  a  long  time,  preventing  them  from  get- 
ting hardened  off  properly. 

With  brooder  chicks,  the  proper  time  for  chang- 
ing them  from  the  brooders  to  the  more  inde- 
pendent colony  life  depends  largely  upon  the 
breed,  the  weather,  the  location,  and  the  shelter 
and  care  that  will  be  provided  for  them.  The 
little  ones  should  be  sufficiently  well  feathered  to 
insure  protection  from  sudden  climatic  changes  and 

169 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

any  other  conditions  that  are  liable  to  surround 
them.  By  "  colonizing  "  is  meant  the  removal  of 
the  chicks  to  small  colony  houses  or  to  brood  coops, 
similar  to  those  described  in  Chapter  Five,  where 
each  one  must  look  out  for  himself  and  depend 
upon  the  warmth  from  his  own  body  and  the  pro- 
tection of  his  feathers.  At  this  age  chicks  will 
stand  cool  weather  much  better  than  dampness, 
which  is  very  hard  on  them.  The  Mediterranean 
chicks  feather  out  the  most  rapidly  of  all,  and  can 
usually  be  safely  colonized  when  they  are  eight 
weeks  old.  The  American  varieties  are  some- 
what slower  in  clothing  themselves,  but  may  usu- 
ally be  colonized  at  the  age  of  ten  weeks.  The 
Asiatic  breeds  are  the  slowest  of  all  and  often 
require  twelve  weeks,  or  even  longer,  before  they 
become  well  feathered  out. 

Small  portable  houses  should  be  used  where  any 
considerable  number  of  chicks  are  to  be  carried 
Housing  through  the  summer,  for  with  these 

the  Chicks  the  birds  may  always  have  a  dry,  com- 
fortable protection,  and  it  is  easier  to  look 
after  a  few  colony  houses  than  two  or  three 
times  that  number  of  brood  coops.  Where 
portable  houses  are  used,  one  hundred  chicks  may 
safely  be  housed  together  until  they  get  pretty  well 
matured.  Where  mere  brood  coops  are  used,  the 
number  of  chicks  in  each  had  best  be  limited  to 
twenty-five  or  thirty,  and  the  chicks  should  be  got- 

170 


REARING   CHICKS   AFTER   BROODING  AGE 

ten  into  roomier  quarters  as  soon  as  possible  in 
the  fall.  A  greater  number  than  what  I  have  men- 
tioned sleeping  together  is  not  desirable,  but  this  is 
about  as  few  as  economy  of  time  and  labor  in  their 
care  will  permit.  The  chicks  in  each  lot  should  be 
as  uniform  in  size  and  age  as  possible ;  this  not  only 
tends  to  safety  and  prevents  loss,  but  also  results 
in  uniformity  of  appearance  and  consequent  at- 
tractiveness of  the  flocks. 

Cleanliness  and  health  go  hand  and  hand  in  the 
poultry  business,  and  nowhere  is  this  more  notice- 
able than  in  the  growing  of  little  chickens.  The 
coops  must  be  cleaned  out  frequently;  fresh,  cool 
water  must  be  frequently  supplied  in  hot  weather; 
lice  and  mites  must  be  fought  unrelentingly.  If  the 
chicks  have  not  much  yard  room,  plow  or  spade 
up  the  runs  quite  frequently;  a  hard,  baked  surface 
in  the  yards  tends  to  bring  the  chicks  to  a  standstill 
in  growth,  besides  making  a  very  unattractive  and 
unpleasant  place  for  them  to  range.  Fresh  soil, 
green  grass,  fresh  air,  plenty  of  good  feed  and 
exercise,  moderate  sunshine,  welcome  shade,  com- 
fort and  activity  all  along  the  line — all  these  things 
play  their  part  in  the  growth  and  profit  of  the 
chicks. 

Separating  the  Sexes.  The  sexes  should  be  sep- 
arated as  soon  as  the  cockerels  begin  to  crow  and 
assert  masculine  traits,  as  otherwise  the  growth 
and  development  of  the  pullets  will  be  greatly 

171 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

retarded  and  much  loss  may  result.  The  cockerels 
themselves  will  fare  better  when  away  from  the 
females,  for  then  they  will  not  hesitate  to  eat  all 
they  need  and  will  have  no  chance  to  waste  their 
energies. 

Teaching  Chicks  to  Roost.  The  chicks  should 
be  taught  to  roost  as  soon  as  they  are  removed  from 
the  brooders  or  weaned  from  the  mother  hen ;  they 
get  more  good  pure  air  when  roosting  than  when 
huddled  together  in  a  pile  on  the  floor,  and  the  gen- 
eral conditions  of  cleanliness  and  health  are  better. 
There  will  be  no  danger  of  causing  "crooked  breast 
bones, "  providing  the  perches  are  made  wide 
enough.  Four  or  five  inches  makes  a  nice  width 
until  the  chicks  are  large  enough  that  the  shape  of 
their  bones  has  become  fixed.  These  perches 
should  be  placed  only  a  few  inches  from  the  floor 
at  first,  as  then  there  will  be  less  difficulty  experi- 
enced in  getting  the  chicks  to  use  them ;  they  should 
be  gradually  raised  as  the  chicks  get  older,  in  order 
to  get  them  further  removed  from  the  droppings 
under  the  perches  and  the  resulting  foul  air  near 
the  floor.  The  chicks  will  need  a  little  watching 
the  first  night  or  two,  to  see  that  they  do  not  huddle 
in  a  corner  instead  of  going  on  the  roost,  but  after 
that  they  will  prefer  to  perch. 

By  the  time  they  are  moved  to  the  colony  coops 
the  chicks  ought  to  be  able  to  eat  whole  oats  and 
corn  that  has  been  very  coarsely  cracked.  Birds 

172 


PS 
</) 

o 

3 


REARING   CHICKS   AFTER  BROODING  AGE 

intended  for  breeding  purposes  should  be  fed 
those  foods  which  will  induce  a  normal,  healthy 
Feeding  Par-  growth  without  any  of  the  evils  of 
tialiy  Matured  forcing.  Whole  wheat  is  probably 
Chicks  better  than  any  other  one  grain,  but  a 

variety  is  more  than  desirable — it  is  essential. 
Cracked  corn  is  the  most  fattening,  and  consid- 
erable should  be  fed,  as  growing  chicks  always 
have  a  decided  natural  tendency  toward  "  lean- 
ness." Wheat  middlings  are  also  very  good,  and 
chicks  greatly  relish  them ;  in  fact,  I  find  that  of  the 
numerous  feeds  kept  before  our  growing  stock  in 
self-feeding  hoppers,  more  middlings  are  usually 
required  than  of  any  other  one  feed.  Of  course,  it 
is  placed  in  the  hoppers  dry,  the  same  as  any  grain 
would  be.  The  best  feeds  to  be  kept  before  the 
growing  stock  are  wheat,  oats,  cracked  corn,  mid- 
dlings, a  prepared  commercial  mixture  of  various 
grain  feeds  for  large  chicks,  beef  scraps,  grit,  and 
charcoal.  See  that  the  chicks  get  all  they  will  eat 
of  these  feeds,  because  ordinarily  the  more  they  eat 
the  more  rapidly  they  will  develop. 

How  to  Feed  Broilers.  Chicks  to  be  marketed 
as  broilers  should  be  hurried  along  more  rapidly 
than  chicks  intended  for  breeders,  so  that  they  can 
be  marketed  at  the  earliest  moment  possible  and 
the  profits  will  be  greater.  After  t'he  chicks  have 
been  given  a  good  start  in  life  by  the  dry-feed  sys- 
tem, the  breeder  may  hasten  their  growth  during 

173 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

the, remaining  few  weeks  of  their  lives  by  feeding 
extra  large  amounts  of  animal  food  and  by  forcing 
them  with  rich  mashes,  patent  poultry  condiments 
and  anything  else  of  a  stimulating  nature.  Three 
mashes  a  day  may  safely  be  fed,  and  see  that  the 
chicks  get  all  they  will  eat  up  clean  at  each  meal. 

The  three  great  broiler  feeds  are  ground  oats, 
ground  corn,  and  middlings ;  the  first  for  bone  and 
muscle,  and  the  latter  two  for  fat  and  flesh.  Make 
the  mashes  about  equal  parts  of  these  three  grain 
feeds  and  add  twenty  per  cent,  of  ground  beef 
scraps,  or  give  a  liberal  feed  of  green  cut  bone  each 
evening.  In  addition,  keep  a  hopper  of  the  beef 
scraps  constantly  before  them,  and  also  see  that 
they  get  all  the  green  food  they  will  eat.  Only 
remember  that  too  much  meat  and  other  stimu- 
lating feeds  have  a  tendency  to  produce  looseness 
of  -the  bowels  among  fowls  of  all  ages.  Much 
range  is  not  desirable  for  broilers,  as  they  are  likely 
to  take  too  much  exercise  and  "  run  off,"  as  it  were, 
a  great  part  of  their  development. 

Capons  are  male  birds  which  have  been  cas- 
trated, that  is,  their  generative  sexual  organs  have 

been  removed.     The  advantages  re- 
Capons  ,  .         f  . 

suiting    from    the    operation    are    a 

sweeter  and  finer  flavor  of  the  flesh,  an  increased 
price  in  the  fowl  when  it  has  matured,  and  a  higher 
price  in  the  market  than  could  be  secured  for  an 
uncaponized  cockerel.  Birds  that  are  caponized 


REARING   CHICKS   AFTER   BROODING  AGE 

when  they  weigh  from  two  to  four  pounds  make 
larger  birds  than  they  otherwise  would,  and  the 
growth  of  delicate,  tender  chicken  flesh  is  con- 
tinued, instead  of  the  bird  growing  into  hard, 
stringy,  muscle-flesh.  The  birds  lose  their  fighting 
qualities,  become  very  quiet,  and  even  have  been 
known  to  successfully  brood  little  chicks.  By 
an  expert,  the  operation  can  be  quickly  per- 
formed and  with  scarcely  any  pain  to  the  bird.  A 
little  practice  will  enable  anyone  who  has  the  neces- 
sary "  grit  "  to  become  proficient  at  the  work.  A 
set  of  instruments  can  be  purchased  at  a  cost  of 
only  a  few  dollars,  and  full  directions  for  use 
accompany  each  outfit. 

THE  MATURING  PULLETS 

After  the  trials,  troubles,  and  perhaps  losses,  of 
early  chickenhood  are  over,  there  is.  nothing  gives 
the  poultry  keeper  more  true  delight  or  keener 
pleasure  than  to  watch  the  young  pullets  grow  and 
develop  in  symmetry  and  beauty  and  begin  to  ex- 
hibit motherly  ways.  After  the  birds  have  replaced 
their  chicken  feathers  with  attractive  new  plumage 
and  begin  to  show  a  reddening  of  the  combs  and 
wattles,  the  poultryman  who  knows  begins  to  real- 
ize that  they  have  powers  and  possibilities  all  their 
own  and  his  own. 

The  best  of  care  and  attention  is  necessary  at 
175 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

this  time,  for  in  addition  to  developing  her  own 
bodily  characteristics  of  bones,  muscles,  feathers, 
etc.,  the  pullet  has  also  to  turn  a  large  part  of  her 
energies  toward  the  proper  development  of  the 
internal  reproductive  organs,  the  ovaries.  Some- 
times poultry  keepers  become  anxious  to  have  their 
pullets  to  commence  laying  at  once,  and  dope 
them  with  stimulating  foods  and  mashes.  These 
often  hasten  the  development  of  the  reproductive 
organs,  but  the  development  is  not  a  healthy  or  a 
natural  one,  and  is  therefore  unwise.  The  secret 
of  genuine  success  is  to  keep  the  pullets  developing 
steadily  in  a  natural,  healthy  way  that  shall  insure 
perfect  bones,  muscles,  blood  vessels,  nerves,  lungs, 
digestive  system,  and  last  but  by  no  means  least, 
reproductive  organs. 

It  is  at  this  time  that  the  germs  of  the  eggs  are 
being  formed,*  and  it  is  very  important  that  each 
of  these  shall  contain  all  the  force,  stamina,  hered- 
itary quality  and  life  powers  necessary  for  the  pro- 
duction of  a  new  chick  which  shall  have  the  ability 
to  thrive  and  grow  and  mature,  and  in  turn  repro- 
duce its  kind.  This  is  not  a  machine  process.  It 
is  life  development;  it  is  Nature's  work,  deliber- 
ately done  with  a  definite  purpose :  the  perpetuation 
of  the  species. 

The  Use  of  Condiments.     Do  not,  under  any 

*  Heredity  determines  the  number  of  eggs  a  hen  shall  produce  in  her  life- 
time; feed  and  care  determine  the  number  of  them  we  can  force  out  of  her  in 
a  given  period. 

176 


Practical  small  roosting  coop  in  use 


\ 


The  same  coop  with  hood  thrown  back 


REARING   CHICKS   AFTER   BROODING  AGE 

circumstances,  make  continuous  and  frequent  use  of 
condiments  like  red  pepper,  mustard,  or  patent  ton- 
ics of  any  kind  in  order  to  force  egg  laying,  among 
either  pullets  or  adult  birds,  unless  you  want  to  get 
all  the  eggs  possible  out  of  the  female  in  one  season 
and  then  discard  her.  These  foods  used  in  small 
quanities  once  a  week  or  every  two  weeks  do  no 
particular  harm  and  may  do  good,  but  if  used  reck- 
lessly they  inflame  and  excite  the  digestive  tract 
and  the  organs  of  reproduction,  and,  although  they 
will  temporarily  produce  the  desired  results,  a  reac- 
tion is  bound  to  come  which  in  course  of  time  will 
leave  the  birds  in  a  debilitated,  run-down  condi- 
tion, and  they  are  liable  to  succumb  to  attacks  of 
disease  germs  in  the  tissues,  which  in  health  and 
vigor  they  would  resist  and  reject. 

See  that  the  pullets  have  plenty  of  room;  re- 
member they  are  no  longer  little  chicks  and  cannot 
The  General  g£t  along  on  the  same  amount  of  room 
Care  of  now  that  they  could  a  few  months 

Pullets  ag0  Good  ventilation  is  imperative 

for  sound  constitutions.  Damp  or  foul  air,  raw, 
rough  winds,  unpalatable  food  and  filthy  water,  all 
tend  to  delay,  interrupt  and  prevent  egg  produc- 
tion. Plenty  of  animal  food,  green  food  and  exer- 
cise are  essential  to  the  best  normal  development. 

So  far  as  feed  is  concerned,  I  strongly  believe 
in  letting  the  birds  use  their  own  judgment,  letting 
them  eat  what  they  want,  when  they  want,  and  the 

177 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

quantity  they  want,  from  self-feeding  hoppers.  As 
many  different  kinds  of  grain  and  other  foods  as 
possible  should  be  kept  before  them,  and  they  will 
select  the  ones  they  need  the  most.  Wheat,  oats, 
and  cracked  corn  are  the  three  indispensable  grain 
feeds. 

The  pullets  should  be  removed  to  their  winter 
homes  in  ample  time  to  allow  them  to  become 
thoroughly  familiar  with  their  new  surroundings 
before  cold  weather  sets  in,  and  then  the  egg  yield 
will  not  be  interrupted  or  delayed.  Leghorns  and 
some  of  the  other  Mediterranean  breeds  often 
commence  laying  at  the  early  age  of  four  or  five 
months.  The  American  breeds  usually  require  a 
month  or  two  longer,  and  the  Asiatics  still  longer. 
The  first  few  eggs  from  a  pullet  are  always  under- 
sized and  sometimes  the  shell  is  imperfectly  con- 
structed, but  ordinarily  a  little  time  will  correct  all 
that.  If  it  does  not,  dispose  of  the  fowl. 


178 


THE   "FANCY 


CHAPTER   XII 

THE   "  FANCY  " 

THE  "  small  "  poultry  keeper  can  often  add 
to  his  profits  by  paying  attention  to  the 
breeding  of  fancy  poultry.  By  "  fancy  " 
poultry  keeping,  in  this  connection,  I  mean  exhibi- 
tion or  show  stock,  as  distinguished  from  the  ordi- 
The  Field  nary  standard-bred  birds  which  are 
for  Fanciers  'm  the  hands  of  every  progressive 
poultryman,  even  though  his  aim  be  nothing  more 
than  eggs  or  meat  for  market.  The  small  poul- 
try keeper  is,  naturally,  in  a  position  to  make  a 
better  showing  with  exhibition  stock  than  the 
large  breeder;  the  fact  that  his  operations  are 
necessarily  restricted  is  a  benefit  rather  than  a  hard- 
ship, for,  while  he  can  keep  only  a  few  birds,  this 
enables  him  to  have  every  bird  on  the  place  of  the 
highest  quality,  and  he  can  become  familiar  with 
the  individual  characteristics  and  peculiarities  of 
each  one  of  them,  all  of  which  is  exceedingly 
desirable. 

There  are  comparatively  few  men  in  America 
who  are  making  the  production  of  exhibition 
or  show  stock  their  exclusive  business.  Most  of 

181 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

the  fanciers  of  this  country  are  engaged  in  the 
business  as  a  side-line  or  hobby,  and  not  as  an 
exclusive  occupation.  You  may  ask  almost  any 
fancier  why  he  breeds  standard-bred  poultry,  and 
he  will  tell  you  that  it  is  mainly  because  he  likes  it, 
because  the  work  gives  him  much  pleasure  as  well 
as  profit;  that  the  competition  of  the  exhibition 
hall  is  exciting  and  gratifies  the  sporting  blood  that 
is  in  him  and  in  almost  all  people  to  a  greater  or 
lesser  extent;  that  the  acquaintances  and  friend- 
ships formed  in  the  show  room  are  often  valuable 
additions  to  one's  social  life;  that  the  work  in  the 
breeding  yard  develops  the  powers  of  observation 
and  calls  for  close  attention  and  deep  study  to  con- 
trol the  influences  which  are  ever  present  in  the 
work  of  shape  and  color  production  in  their  best 
forms. 

The  standard-bred  poultry  business  has  been  one 
of  the  three  or  four  leading  factors  in  what  is, 
The  to-day,  universally  conceded  to  be  one 

Importance  of  Q£  America's  leading  industries.  Hun- 
the  "Fancy"  .  ,  f  ,  ,  . 

Poultry  dreds  of  poultry  shows  are  now  being 

Business  held  in  America  every  year,  and  each 

one  of  these  is  a  great  bureau  for  the  dissemination 
of  poultry  news  and  matters,  especially  those  rela- 
tive to  standard-bred  birds.  Six  thousand  birds  in 
competiton  at  one  show  is  a  recent  record. 

At  the  show  the  fowls  are  found  in  long  rows  of 
neatly  arranged  coops,  and  each  one  of  the  hun- 

182 


THE   "FANCY" 

dred  or  more  varieties  has  its  own  special  points  of 
beauty  and  merit.  Not  only  are  these  fowls  beau- 
tiful in  form  and  color,  but  they  are  valued  at 
what  seem  like  ridiculously  long  prices  to  one  who 
has  never  paid  attention  to  the  matter.  At  Amer- 
ica's great  shows,  where  the  best  of  each  variety 
is  placed  on  exhibition,  one  hundred  to  one  thou- 
sand dollars  frequently  are  asked  for  the  first-prize 
birds  in  the  popular  classes.  One  hundred  to  three 
hundred  dollars  each  have  repeatedly  been  paid 
for  choice  specimens,  especially  for  male  birds. 

These  high  prices  mean  something.  Men  are 
not  going  to  pay  such  large  amounts  for  five  to 
ten  pounds  of  chicken  meat,  bone  and  feathers, 
unless  there  is  a  good  reason  for  it.  The  extremely 
high  prices  are  not,  however,  founded  so  much 
upon  the  utility  or  practical  value  of  the  birds  as 
upon  their  "  fancy  "  excellence,  that  is,  beauty  of 
form  and  feather.  But  while  this  is  true,  it  is  also 
true  that  no  other  class  of  poultrymen  has  done  so 
much  for  commercial  poultry  as  has  the  fancier. 
He  has  greatly  improved  and  developed  not  only 
the  fancy  side  of  the  business,  but  also  the  practical 
side  as  well.  The  Plymouth  Rocks  and  Wyan- 
dottes,  the  most  popular  market  varieties,  are 
strictly  the  production  of  the  fancier,  and  all  other 
practical  breeds  and  varieties,  as  well  as  the  orna- 
mental breeds,  have  been  greatly  benefited  by  his 
work. 

183 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

The  Genesis  of  the  Fowl.  It  is  claimed  that 
in  the  beginning  there  existed  only  one  kind 
of  chicken,  a  black  and  red  jungle  fowl  of 
uncertain  origin,  and  from  this  one  species  man 
has  produced,  through  selection  and  persistent 
matings,  the  one  hundred  or  more  distinct  varieties 
of  poultry  now  in  existence.  There  is  no  doubt 
but  that  this  is  substantially  true,  for  more  than 
half  the  varieties  now  described  in  the  American 
Standard  of  Perfection,  and  bred  in  large  numbers 
at  the  present  time,  have  been  "  created  "  within 
the  lifetime  of  poultrymen  now  living,  and  even 
within  the  past  twenty  years  fifteen  or  twenty  of 
our  popular  varieties  have  come  into  existence. 

Inasmuch  as  it  has  taken  years  to  create  and  pro- 
duce the  different  varieties  of  standard-bred  poul- 
Gettinga  try>  building  them  up  to  such  an 
Start  in  extent  that  they  will  reproduce  the 

the  Fancy  desirable  distinct  qualities  and  charac- 
teristics, it  follows  that  the  one  best  way  to 
preserve  and  augment  these  traits  is  to  buy  into  an 
established  strain  and  then  stick  to  that  strain, 
concentrating  all  energy  upon  developing  to  the 
utmost  the  special  characteristics  and  qualities 
which  it  possesses.  Different  breeds  have  different 
strains  (or  families),  all  alike  in  general,  but  vary- 
ing in  the  fine  points,  depending  upon  which  ones 
the  breeder  has  specialized  the  most  strongly.  A 
common  mistake  made  by  beginners  with  standard- 

184 


THE   "FANCY" 

bred  poultry  is  to  secure  their  stock  from  two  or 
three  different  sources  and  their  eggs  from  still 
another,  thus  mixing  and  crossing  the  blood  of 
different  strains,  regardless  of  the  loss  of  the 
breeding  lines  upon  which  these  different  strains 
have  been  developed. 

The  beginner,  in  starting,  should  consider 
quality  rather  than  quantity.  It  is  often  cheaper 
to  buy  five  birds  or  five  settings  of  eggs  for  fifty 
dollars  than  to  buy  twenty-five  for  the  same 
amount  of  money.  Anyone  can  breed  quantity, 
but  it  is  the  work  of  years  to  produce  quality.  It 
is  cheaper  to  start  with  quality  and  pay  the  price 
than  to  start  with  quantity  and  spend  years  of  time 
breeding  for  quality.  As  it  takes  a  breeder  several 
years  to  breed  a  flock  up  to  quality  that  is  recog- 
nized, the  beginner  can  afford  to  pay  him  for  his 
years  of  experience  and  skill. 

Instead  of  having  to  sell  his  eggs  at  twenty-five 
cents  a  dozen  and  his  fowls  at  from  twenty-five  to 
The  Profits  seventy-five  cents  apiece,  the  fancier 
in  the  Fancy  can  get  from  one  to  five  dollars  per 
setting  for  his  eggs  and  from  one  to  five  dollars 
each  for  nearly  half  of  his  birds,  while  a  few  excep- 
tional specimens  may  bring  several  times  this 
amount  each. 

At  the  same  time  there  is  not  such  a  radical  dif- 
ference in  the  profits  from  the  market  and  fancy 
sides  of  the  business  as  one  would  imagine  on  first 

185 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

thought.  The  fancier  must  pay  as  much  money  for 
one  breeding  male,  or  for  a  good  hen  with  which  to 
retrench  his  blood  lines,  as  he  could  reasonably  ex- 
pect to  receive  for  half  a  dozen  of  his  own  birds. 
The  breeder  with  the  big  reputation  can  ask  prices 
for  his  stock  and  eggs,  and  get  them,  that  the  be- 
ginner would  not  dare  to  think  of  asking  for  'his 
own  goods ;  and  this  is  reasonable  and  proper,  too. 
Then,  again,  from  twenty-five  to  sixty  per  cent, 
of  the  chicks  from  every  ordinary  mating  will 
prove  to  be  culls  which  will  honestly  bring  no 
more  than  market  prices.  Half  of  those  left  after 
culling  will  be  worth  only  a  dollar  or  two  a 
head,  and  it  is  from  the  remainder  that  the  profit 
will  have  to  be  made,  and  it  will  be  made  if  the 
matings  which  produced  them  were  of  good 
quality. 

Then,  too,  the  beginner  in  Che  fancy  will  find 
that,  while  he  will  experience  no  difficulty  in  dispos- 
ing of  all  his  eggs  and  surplus  stock  from  a  small 
flock  of  fowls  if  he  does  not  ask  exorbitant  prices 
for  same,  as  soon  as  he  becomes  overly  ambitious 
and  enlarges  the  scope  of  his  operations  the  supply 
will  have  exceeded  the  natural  demand,  and  he 
must  secure  new  quarters  for  his  wares  by  advertis- 
ing; and  this  is  a  great  drain  on  the  profits  the  first 
year  or  two,  or  until  one  gets  his  name  and  busi- 
ness well  established.  But  the  man  who  can 
weather  the  storms  of  early  experience  will  find 

1 86 


THE   "FANCY'3 

that  he  will  have  comparatively  smooth  sailing 
after  that.  And  that  is  true  of  every  branch  of 
the  poultry  business,  market  or  fancy. 

On  the  result  of  his  matings  depends  the  success 
or  failure  of  every  fancier.  I  do  not  mean,  in 
Mating  this  sense,  the  correct  mating  to  pro- 

to  Produce  duce  eggs  that  will  hatch  (which  is 
Prize-winners  very  necessary),  but  instead,  the  mat- 
ing of  the  different  individuals  so  that  their  vari- 
ous characteristics  and  peculiarities  will  "  nick 
in  "  (blend)  just  right  and  the  resulting  progeny 
will  be  as  good  or  better  than  their  ancestors. 
The  man  who  can  afford  to  buy  a  pen  of  breed- 
ing birds  to  make  his  start  has  the  advantage 
in  this  respect,  because  the  breeder  from  whom  he 
purchases  them  will  use  his  experience  and  skill 
in  selecting  and  properly  mating  them  before  ship- 
ping. The  beginner  should  secure  some  one  to 
do  the  work  for  him  who  is  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  the  breed  and  the  breed  characteristics,  or  else 
he  should  thoroughly  post  himself  upon  the  sub- 
ject as  best  he  can  and  experiment  and  observe 
results.  One  of  the  best  means  of  becoming  famil- 
iar with  the  good  and  bad  points  of  a  breed  is  by 
a  careful  study  of  the  Standard  requirements. 

American  Standard  of  Perfection.  This  is  a 
cloth-bound  book  of  300  pages,  published  and 
copyrighted  by  the  American  Poultry  Association. 
In  this  Standard  will  be  found,  listed  in  classes, 

187 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

breeds  and  varieties,  every  kind  of  chickens,  tur- 
keys, ducks,  and  geese  known  as  standard.  All 
the  popular  varieties  are  illustrated  with  full-page 
drawings,  and  each  and  every  variety  is  fully  de- 
scribed, section  by  section,  from  beak  to  toe-nail. 
It  gives  the  standard  weights  of  all  varieties  that 
have  special  weights,  minutely  describes  the  color 
and  markings  of  the  feathers,  and  describes  and 
illustrates  the  correct  type  and  the  proper  shape  of 
body.  This  book  is  often  referred  to  as  "  the 
national  guide  of  poultrymen."  They  use  it  in 
their  yards  in  mating  their  breeders  and  selecting 
birds  for  exhibition,  while  in  the  showroom  it  is 
the  judges'  guide  and  authority  in  scoring  the 
fowls  and  awarding  the  prizes.  It  should  be  in 
the  library  of  every  breeder  of  good  poultry. 

The  national  organization  for  all  classes  of 
poultry  keepers  is  known  as  the  American  Poultry 
Clubs  and  Association.  Nearly  all  influential 
Organizations  poultrymen  are  members  of  it.  An- 
for  Poultry-  nuaj  memberships  have  been  discon- 
tinued, and  ten  dollars  now  makes  one 
a  member  for  life. 

There  are  many  local  organizations  of  poultry 
keepers,  while  nearly  every  variety  has  its  specialty 
club  designed  to  promote  interest  in  the  variety 
whose  cause  it  espouses.  Every  breeder  of  stand- 
ard-bred poultry  should  belong  to  his  variety's  club, 
as  it  will  keep  him  posted  on  the  development  of 

188 


THE   "FANCY" 

his  breed  and  the  doings  of  the  breeders,  besides 
giving  him  added  prestige  on  account  of  being  a 
member.  Most  specialty  clubs  have  one  dollar  for 
their  membership  fee  and  the  same  amount  for 
annual  dues. 

When  selecting  fowls  to  be  exhibited,  first  of  all 
subject  each  one  to  a  careful  scrutiny,  and  make  sure 
Hints  on  Ex-  that  it  is  free  from  disqualification, 
hibiting  Fowls  Remember,  that  if  the  "  Standard  " 
says  white  in  the  ear-lobes  or  face  shall  disqualify, 
a  spot  the  size  of  a  grain  of  wheat  is  all  that 
is  necessary  to  throw  your  bird  out  of  the  race 
in  close  competition;  or,  if  the  "Standard"  says 
white  or  gray  or  any  other  foreign  color  in  any 
part  of  the  plumage  is  a  disqualification,  it  means 
just  what  it  says,  and  a  part  of  a  feather  off  in  color 
will  disqualify  your  bird  just  as  surely  as  a  whole 
feather. 

Preparation  means  a  great  deal  toward  success 
in  the  show  room.  Train  your  birds  so  that  they 
will  not  object  to  being  handled,  and  teach  them 
to  pose  at  command  so  that  they  will  show  to  the 
best  advantage.  White-plumaged  birds  should  be 
given  a  bath  a  few  hours  before  being  cooped  to 
send  to  the  show,  or  long  enough  that  they  may 
dry  and  arrange  their  feathers  before  being  re- 
moved. All  kinds  of  fowls  should  have  their 
combs,  lobes,  wattles  and  legs  thoroughly  cleaned, 
using  a  soft  sponge,  warm  water  and  soap. 

189 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

At  the  show  it  usually  is  best  for  the  beginner, 
or  some  one  interested  in  his  exhibit,  to  personally 
look  after  his  birds.  The  management  will  attend 
to  the  fowls  as  well  as  they  can,  and  usually  satis- 
factorily, but  they  have  many  to  care  for  and  neces- 
sarily have  to  do  the  work  hurriedly  and  do  not 
understand  individual  methods  of  feeding  and 
caring  for  the  birds  as  their  owner  does.  Keep 
the  coops,  as  well  as  the  birds  themselves,  as  clean 
as  possible  during  the  show,  and  give  the  birds 
meat  and  green  food  every  day  in  addition  to  their 
grain. 

Which  Are  the  Best  Fowls?  The  best  fowl  is, 
of  course,  the  one  that  most  nearly  fulfills  the 
"  Standard  "  description,  valued  at  one  hundred 
points.  The  bird  that  is  perfect  in  every  respect 
has  never  been  grown.  Ninety  to  ninety-four 
points  are  the  most  common  scores  among  exhibi- 
tion stock.  Fowls  scoring  more  than  ninety-five 
honest  points  are  rare  and  valuable. 

Judging.  There  are  -two  leading  methods  of 
judging  poultry,  viz.,  the  "  comparison  "  and  the 
"  score-card."  By  the  former  the  judge  selects  the 
winner  by  comparison,  and  no  scores  are  given  out 
because  none  are  made,  the  birds  being  judged 
solely  by  their  relative  merits.  The  score-card  sys- 
tem gives  the  most  satisfaction  to  the  beginner, 
because  he  can  learn  much  by  studying  the  score 
cards  of  his  fowls,  seeing  just  where  they  are  weak 

190 


THE   "FANCY" 

and  where  they  are  strong,  and,  if  he  was  defeated, 
why.  Most  small  shows  use  the  score-card  and 
most  large  shows  use  the  comparison  system  be- 
cause it  requires  less  time. 


191 


GENERAL   INFORMATION 


CHAPTER   XIII 

GENERAL   INFORMATION 

NO  matter  for  what  purpose  kept,  the  con- 
dition of  the  adult  fowls  lies  at  the  very 
foundation   of  the   success   or  ultimate 
failure  of  a  poultry  plant     If  the  hens  are  kept 
merely  to  produce  a  large  number  of  eggs,  they 
Healthy  stock  must  be  forced  with  this  idea  in  view 
is  a  Prime        in  order  to  yield  maximum  profits,  and 
Requisite         no  £Qwj  wjjj  stancj  forcing  unless  in  a 

condition  of  maximum  thrift  and  vitality.  If  the 
fowls  are  kept  for  breeding  purposes,  that  is,  to  fur- 
nish eggs  for  hatching,  it  is  even  more  important 
that  their  physical  condition  be  of  the  best,  because 
here  the  laws  of  heredity  play  an  important  part. 

In  selecting  breeding  stock,  the  most  important 
point  to  be  looked  after  is  to  see  that  the  fowls  are 
all  perfectly  sound  and  healthy ;  it  is  not  only  essen- 
tial that  the  fowls  themselves  be  healthy,  but  they 
must  have  been  bred  with  a  well-established  habit 
of  health.  To  paraphrase  a  famous  saying  of 
Oliver  Wendell  Holmes,  it  may  be  said  that  "  the 
physical  training  of  a  chicken  should  begin  with 
its  great-grandparents  " ;  that  is,  if  we  are  to  pro- 

195 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

duce  sound,  thoroughly  healthy  stock — stock  that 
has  the  ability  to  resist  and  reject  disease — we  must 
breed  through  several  generations  for  health  and 
vitality,  the  same  as  we  would  breed  for  other 
points  of  practical  value,  and  so  establish  and  per- 
petuate the  habit  of  reproducing  healthy  specimens 
in  future  generations.  It  is  probably  true  that  a 
very  large  per  cent,  of  the  failures  of  beginners 
to  get  good  hatches  from  their  eggs,  or  to  success- 
fully rear  a  large  percentage  of  their  chicks,  is  due 
to  the  neglect  of  these  cardinal  principles. 

Fowls  with  constitutional  taint  or  which  are 
otherwise  debilitated,  never  did  and  never  can,  in 
the  very  nature  of  things,  produce  eggs  that  will 
hatch  healthy,  vigorous  chicks.  Fowls  that  show 
any  symptoms  of  disease  at  all  should  never  be 
bred  from,  and  the  same  thing  is  true  of  birds  that 
have  at  any  time  in  the  past  been  seriously  ill,  for, 
while  they  may  have  apparently  recovered,  there 
are  nine  chances  to  one  there  is  yet  and  always 
will  be  a  weak  spot  there  somewhere,  and  the  dis- 
ease is  always  liable  to  crop  out  again  in  the  pro- 
geny at  any  time.  Eggs  from  hens  that  have  been 
forced  for  great  egg  production  during  the  winter 
months  are  always  more  or  less  weak-germed  in 
the  spring,  and  give  correspondingly  poor  hatches 
and  weak  chicks.  The  same  kind  of  results  usually 
come  from  eggs  laid  by  late-hatched  pullets  which 
are  not  fully  developed  and  matured. 

196 


GENERAL   INFORMATION 

The  experienced  poultryman  watches  up  the 
records  and  the  good  and  bad  points  of  his  fowls 
Mating  throughout  the  entire  winter,  and  then 

up  the  when  spring  arrives  he  is  well  quali- 

Breeding  Pen    fied  to  ;nteii;gentiy  and  systematically 

mate  his  birds.  The  fowls  should  be  mated  up  at 
least  two  weeks  before  their  eggs  will  be  needed 
for  hatching  purposes,  in  order  to  insure  good 
fertility. 

On  the  author's  plant,  culling  is  about  the  most 
important  work  at  mating  time.  We  discard  every 
bird  that  is  not  in  vigorous,  rugged  health,  so  far 
as  can  be  determined  by  a  careful  examination. 
This  is  done  with  absolutely  no  regard  to  the  score 
or  the  egg  record  of  the  individual.  The  remain- 
ing healthy,  vigorous  stock  are  again  culled — this 
time  with  a  view  to  Standard  requirements.  Every 
hen  showing  an  improbability  to  throw  chicks  as 
good  or  better  than  the  average  of  the  flock  is 
promptly  removed. 

The  Benefits  of  Gulling.  Most  persons,  espe- 
cially beginners,  are  prone  to  add  doubtful  birds  to 
their  breeding  yards  in  order  to  increase  the  num- 
ber of  laying  stock.  It  is  quality  and  not  quantity 
that  counts,  however,  and  the  man  who  gets  to  the 
"  top  "  the  quickest  is  the  one  who  hatches  a  com- 
paratively small  number  of  chicks  from  his  few  best 
birds,  rather  than  a  large  number  from  over-large 
pens  of  doubtful  quality.  A  little  flock  well  culled, 

197 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

like  "  a  little  farm  well  tilled,"  is  a  greater  source 
of  satisfaction  and  profit  than  larger  operations 
run  on  the  "  hit  or  miss  "  plan,  without  constant 
culling  and  careful  attention  to  details. 

The  Best  Age  for  Breeders.  It  is  usual  to 
mate  cockerels  to  hens,  and  cocks  to  pullets. 
Pullets  and  cockerels  should  not  be  mated  together, 
unless  very  early-hatched  and  well  matured,  but 
young  stock  of  the  one  sex  should  be  balanced  by 
seasoned  maturity  in  the  opposite  sex.  This  in- 
sures stronger  fertility  in  the  eggs.  Of  course 
there  is  no  objection  to  mating  fowls  of  the  same 
age  together,  providing  both  sexes  are  well  ma- 
tured, that  is,  at  least  one  year  old. 

A  perfectly  sound  male  at  the  head  of  the 
breeding  pen  is  very  essential;  if  possible,  have 
the  male  of  a  even  little  better  quality  than  the 
females.  The  statement  is  often  made  that  "  the 
male  bird  is  half  the  flock,"  and  in  a  breeding 
sense  it  is  absolutely  true,  for  the  male  bird  influ- 
ences every  chick  hatched  from  his  pens  and  in 
that  respect  his  power  equals,  approximately,  that 
of  all  the  females  to  whom  he  is  mated. 

Number  of  Females  to  One  Male.  The  best 
results  are  usually  secured  when  one  male  is  mated 
with  not  more  than  eight  to  twelve  females  of  the 
Asiatic  and  American  classes,  and  twelve  to  eigh- 
teen of  the  Mediterranean  class.  Sometimes  good 
results  are  secured  where  one  male  looks  after  a 

198 


GENERAL   INFORMATION 

greater  number  of  hens  than  this,  but  not  usually. 
A  great  deal  depends  upon  the  individual  disposi- 
tion of  the  male,  and  whether  or  not  his  attentions 
are  well  distributed.  If  he  is  a  spry,  vigorous  fel- 
low, the  male  is  apt  to  worry  the  hens  if  there  are 
only  a  few  of  them,  and  in  that  case  it  is  well  to 
introduce  as  many  more  females  as  are  necessary 
in  order  to  keep  the  male  peaceable. 

Sometimes  it  becomes  necessary  to  keep  more 
hens  together  in  one  flock  than  one  male  bird  can 
properly  look  after.  Then  various  expedients  are 
resorted  to  in  order  to  prevent  the  males  from 
exhausting  their  powers  and  interfering  with  each 
other.  Where  two  males  are  necessary  for  one 
pen,  the  common  practice  is  to  put  them  with  the 
hens  on  alternate  days.  This  doubtless  is  the  best 
plan,  but  the  most  satisfactory  way  is  to  have  the 
houses  and  yards  so  arranged  that  no  flock  con- 
tains more  females  than  can  be  well  looked  after 
by  one  male.  If  two  or  more  males  are  allowed  to 
run  together,  they  are  sure  to  interfere  with  each 
other,  and  often  the  one  is  kept  in  total  subjection 
and  is  as  good  as  useless,  for  fear  of  the  other. 

How  Long  to  Retain  Male  Breeders.  More 
depends  upon  the  vigor  and  activity  of  the  male 
bird  than  upon  his  age  in  deciding  how  long  he 
may  satisfactorily  be  used  as  a  breeder.  Several 
times  I  have  used  exceptionally  good  cock  birds 
for  breeding  purposes  until  they  were  in  their 

199 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

fifth  season,  and  I  could  not  see  that  the  fer- 
tility was  any  poorer  or  the  chicks  any  the  less 
vigorous,  although  the  cocks  could  not  look  after 
quite  so  many  females  as  they  could  when  younger. 
Replacing  male  birds  every  year  or  two  gets  ex- 
pensive when  they  are  of  exhibition  quality,  and 
that  is  the  only  reason  that  prompted  me  to  retain 
the  fowls  so  long.  When  he  can  be  replaced  for  a 
few  dollars,  better  not  keep  any  male  bird  after  he 
has  gone  through  his  third  season.  After  that  time 
most  males  become  clumsy  and  awkward  and  their 
sexual  powers  begin  to  wane. 

Inbreeding.  So  far  as  inbreeding  is  concerned, 
there  is  little  to  fear  if  the  instructions  given  at  the 
beginning  of  this  chapter  on  selecting  the  breeding 
stock  are  observed,  and  only  sound,  thoroughly 
healthy  stock  are  used.  There  is  danger  in  breed- 
ing from  debilitated  birds,  whether  they  are  related 
or  not.  Of  course,  inbreeding  can  be  carried  too 
far,  especially  by  the  inexperienced,  and  if  prac- 
ticed closely  and  continuously,  year  after  year, 
can  result  in  nothing  other  than  impaired  stock; 
but  if  you  have  an  extra  good  male  and  a  few 
females  you  would  like  to  mate  together,  go  ahead 
and  do  it,  even  though  they  are  slightly  related. 
But  be  sure  you  know  when  to  stop,  and  don't 
keep  it  up  closely  year  after  year. 

At  what  age  a  hen  ceases  to  be  profitable  is 
another  of  the  many  poultry  problems  on  which 

200 


GENERAL   INFORMATION 

it  is  difficult  to  state  general  rules  with  any  degree 
of  accuracy.  All  females  lay  more  eggs  during 
The  their  first  and  second  seasons  than 

Profitable  they  will  any  year  after  that  time,  but 
Age  for  some  hens  lay  enough  eggs  after  their 

aymgHens     seconj   vear    to   make    their    further 

retention  profitable.  Few  hens  pay  a  profit  above 
expenses  after  their  third  season,  and  the  excep- 
tions to  this  rule  are  so  scarce  that  it  is  always 
best  for  the  beginner  to  keep  his  flock  under  three 
years  of  age.  This  is  true,  of  course,  only  where 
the  hens  are  kept  for  the  eggs  they  produce 
alone ;  an  exhibition  hen  that  has  proven  her  worth 
as  a  show  bird  and  breeder  may  often  be  profitably 
retained  as  long  as  she  will  lay  at  all,  as  a  dozen 
of  her  eggs  are  often  worth  several  dollars.  Gen- 
erally speaking,  however,  it  is  best  to  keep  the 
flock  young  and  vigorous.  Young  fowls  are  almost 
always  more  active,  more  thrifty,  more  hardy,  and 
more  attractive  than  old  ones. 

The  egg  production  of  different  flocks  varies 
greatly.  The  most  common  egg  yield  is  probably 
What  is  a  'tne  one  which  averages  from  five  to 
Good  Egg  ten  dozen  eggs  per  year  from  each 
Yield?  he^  although  the  ordinary  American 

farm  flock,  or  the  flock  in  the  hands  of  a  beginner 
or  a  careless  attendant,  often  does  even  poorer 
work  than  that  mentioned.  A  very  excellent  egg 
yield  is  from  ten  to  fourteen  dozen  eggs  per  year 

20 1 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

per  hen.  Anything  above  fourteen  dozen  eggs  per 
year  from  each  hen  may  well  be  classed  as  extraor- 
dinary. 

There  is  a  small  flock  to  be  found  here  and  there 
over  America  which  has  averaged  two  hundred  or 
more  eggs  per  year  from  each  hen,  and  there  are 
a  few  hens  with  individual  records  of  as  high  as 
two  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  and  sixty 
eggs  per  year ;  but  these  records  were  made  in  the 
hands  of  skilled  poultrymen  who  not  only  knew 
exactly  how  to  feed  and  manage,  but  these  flocks 
were  the  result  of  years  of  careful  selection  and 
breeding  from  only  the  best  layers  by  means  of 
trap-nest  records.  The  poultry  keeper  whose  flock 
averages  more  than  one  hundred  eggs  per  head  per 
annum  is  engaged  in  profitable  work,  and  the  man 
whose  egg  record  shows  an  average  of  more  than 
one  hundred  and  forty  eggs  per  hen  in  twelve 
months  has  cause  to  be  well  pleased  with  both  his 
fowls  and  himself  as  attendant. 

Leg  bands  are  inexpensive  aluminium  or  brass 
bands  which  go  around  the  leg  of  a  fowl  much  the 
same  as  a  ring  on  the  human  finger.  They  are 
indispensable  to  the  fancier  and  a  valuable  aid  to 
every  poultry  raiser.  The  bands  contain  numbers 
or  initials  and  enable  the  poultry  raiser  to  keep  a 
valuable  record  of  the  age  and  breeding  or  laying 
performance  of  every  fowl  on  the  place.  Thus,  old 
and  unprofitable  specimens  can  be  weeded  out. 

202 


GENERAL   INFORMATION 

Eggs  intended  for  incubation  should  be  gathered 
several  times  a  day  during  freezing  weather,  as 
Eggs  for  otherwise  the  germs  will  become 
Hatching  chilled  and  will  not  hatch.  After  the 
eggs  have  been  gathered  they  should  be  kept  in  a 
room  where  the  temperature  ranges  between  forty- 
five  and  sixty-five  degrees.  The  sooner  they  are  set 
after  being  laid,  the  better;  but  strong  germs  may 
be  held  for  three  weeks  and  give  a  satisfactory 
hatch.  However,  the  author  finds  that  it  pays 
never  to  set  eggs  that  are  more  than  ten  days  or 
two  weeks  of  age;  fewer  chicks  die  in  the  shell 
and  there  is  more  vitality  among  the  chicks  that 
hatch.  Turning  the  eggs  while  saving  them  for 
hatching  is  unnecessary,  unless  they  are  held  for 
more  than  a  week  or  ten  days;  in  the  latter  event 
it  may  be  found  beneficial  to  turn  them  half  over 
several  times  a  week.  Wash  all  dirty  eggs  before 
setting.  Discard  all  ill-shaped  and  all  very  large 
or  very  small  eggs ;  also  those  having  chalky  shells, 
as  they  are  too  porous  and  not  properly  finished. 

If  you  have  to  buy  eggs  for  hatching,  be  sure 
they  are  carefully  selected  and  perfectly  fresh  and 
fertile.  Eggs  secured  at  the  grocery  or  picked  up 
promiscuously  over  the  country  seldom  give  satis- 
factory results.  Secure  your  eggs  of  a  reputable 
poultry  breeder,  or  produce  them  yourself  if  possi- 
ble, and  then  you  will  be  sure  of  what  you  are 
getting.  f 

203 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

Testing  out  the  infertile  eggs  is  necessary  in  arti- 
ficial incubation  and  often  very  desirable  where 
Testing  hens  are  doing  the  hatching.  Hens 

the  Eggs  that  steal  their  nests  sometimes  have 
too  many  eggs  under  them  for  best  results,  and  if 
the  infertile  eggs  are  tested  out  as  soon  as  possible 
the  good  eggs  will  be  more  certain  to  hatch  well ; 
or,  when  several  hens  are  set  at  one  time,  if  the 
infertile  eggs  are  tested  out  one  or  more  of  the 
hens  may  be  reset  with  fresh  eggs. 

The  egg-tester  illustrated  (or  one  similar  to  it) 
takes  the  place  of  the  chimney  on  a  lamp  in  a  dark 
room.  By  holding  the  eggs  up  to  the  opening  in 
the  tester,  those  that  are  infertile  can  readily  be 
distinguished,  as  they  will  be  perfectly  clear.  The 
living  germs  will  appear  as  a  small  spider-like  body 
if  the  testing  is  done  between  the  fifth  and  tenth 
days.  The  inexperienced  should  not  attempt  to 
test  eggs  before  the  seventh  or  eighth  day,  or  he 
may  throw  out  a  few  good  eggs  along  with  the 
others.  Don't  hold  eggs  before  the  strong  light 
any  longer  than  necessary. 

If  a  second  test  is  made  at  the  end  of  the  second 
week,  those  germs  that  have  started  and  died  may 
also  be  removed.  The  live  germs  will  now  appear 
very  different  from  the  first  test,  the  lower  portion 
of  them  being  almost  wholly  dark  and  opaque, 
while  at  the  large  end  of  the  egg  an  air  space 
covering  nearly  one-fourth  the  total  surface  may  be 

204 


GENERAL   INFORMATION 

seen.  Those  eggs  showing  a  fair-sized  air  space 
with  the  remainder  of  the  egg  perfectly  dark,  with- 
out any  streakiness  or  watery  appearance,  contain 
live  chicks.  The  eggs  that  contain  dead  germs  will 
not  show  the  complete  development  the  others  do, 
but  will  appear  streaky  and  watery  and  some  may 
give  off  a  foul  odor.  Any  eggs  which  you  are 
doubtful  about  may  be  left  in  the  machine  with  the 
live  germs,  but  all  those  you  are  positive  are  dead 
should  be  thrown  out  at  once.  Good  egg-testers 
can  be  secured  of  any  of  the  incubator  companies 
for  twenty-five  to  fifty  cents. 

Chicks  may  be  "  marked "  by  means  of  the 
Poultry  Punch,  a  small  and  inexpensive  instru- 
Marking  ment  by  means  of  which  one  may 
Chicks  punch  or  cut  a  small  hole  in  the 

web  of  the  chick's  foot.  The  fancier  often  has 
occasion  to  use  one  of  these  markers  so  that  he  may 
keep  tab  on  the  results  from  his  different  matings, 
or  distinguish  chicks  hatched  from  purchased  eggs 
from  those  of  his  own  strain.  The  marking  should 
be  done  as  soon  as  the  chicks  are  removed  from  the 
nest  or  the  incubator,  as  at  this  time  the  wound 
will  not  hurt  nor  bleed,  as  it  may  if  the  marking  be 
deferred  until  later.  As  chicks  have  two  webs  in 
each  of  their  two  feet,  it  is  possible  to  make  quite 
a  number  of  different  combinations  if  necessary. 

The  most  level-headed,  practical  poultrymen  in- 
sist upon  eight  or  ten  square  feet  of  house  room  per 

205 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

fowl.  With  small  flocks  of  ten  to  fifteen  birds 
this  is  more  essential  than  where  fifty  head  or 
How  Much  niore  are  kept  together  in  one  flock. 
House  Room  Also,  breeding  fowls  need  more  house 
Per  Fowl  room  for  fertile  eggs  than  hens  that  are 
kept  merely  to  produce  a  large  number  of  eggs 
regardless  of  the  hatching  quality.  More  fowls 
can  profitably  be  accommodated  in  a  house  of  a  cer- 
tain size  during  the  summer  time  than  during  the 
winter.  For  all-the-year-around  work,  a  house 
10x10  feet  should  contain  no  more  than  nine  or  ten 
breeding  hens  and  a  rooster.  Hens  kept  for  eggs 
alone,  and  with  no  male  birds  in  the  flock,  can 
safely  be  housed  in  flocks  of  forty  or  more  at  the 
rate  of  five  square  feet  of  floor  space  to  each 
fowl. 

How  often  a  house  should  be  cleaned  out  de- 
pends very  largely  upon  the  number  of  fowls  in 
Keeping  the  the  house ;  a  house  that  is  crowded 
House  Clean  certainly  needs  cleaning  more  fre- 
quently than  a  house  in  which  the  fowls  have 
plenty  of  room.  Also,  in  damp  weather  the 
droppings  have  a  very  strong  odor  and  should 
not  be  allowed  to  accumulate.  On  the  best-man- 
aged poultry  plants,  and  where  the  birds  have  all 
the  house  room  desirable,  the  droppings  are  re- 
moved every  day.  Use  droppings  boards  under  the 
perches,  keep  them  sprinkled  with  fine  dry  dirt, 
sand,  sawdust,  leaves  or  other  litter,  and  it  is  not 

206 


GENERAL   INFORMATION 

a  difficult  or  irksome  task  to  sweep  off  the  drop- 
pings every  morning  or  every  other  morning. 

When  a  hen  is  compelled  to  sleep  above  the 
accumulated  droppings  of  many  nights,  breathing 
foul,  impure  air,  laden  with  the  rank  ammoniacal 
gases  arising  from  the  droppings,  her  breathing 
apparatus  is  bound  to  get  out  of  order  and  her 
constitutional  strength  undermined  and  weakened. 
In  the  wild  state  fowls  perch  on  trees,  fences  or 
other  high  objects,  far  above  the  lodging  place  of 
the  droppings,  and  sleep  in  air  that  is  always  pure 
and  fresh. 

How  often  the  scratching  litter  should  be  re- 
moved from  the  floor  and  replaced  with  fresh 
depends  very  largely  upon  the  number  of  fowls, 
the  season  of  the  year  and  the  kind  of  weather. 
Once  a  week  is  often  enough  in  all  ordinary 
cases,  -and  sometimes  the  same  litter  may  be  used 
continuously  for  two  or  three  weeks.  A  good 
rule  to  go  by  is  to  remove  the  old  material  as  soon 
as  the  birds  have  it  scratched  and  picked  pretty  well 
to  pieces,  and  as  soon  as  it  begins  to  get  dusty  and 
broken  in  such  small  pieces  that  it  settles  together 
and  is  hard  for  the  hens  to  scratch  apart,  or  it 
becomes  filthy  from  the  droppings  or  soiled  by  the 
fowls  running  over  it  with  muddy,  unclean  feet. 
Loose  litter  will  allow  the  grains  to  become  buried 
deeper  and  better  than  heavy  stuff,  the  hens  prefer 
it  to  work  in,  and  it  is  more  desirable  in  every  way. 

207 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

Gentleness  pays  in  handling  fowls.  Tame  fowls 
are  more  pleasurable  than  wild  ones,  and  are  also 
The  Effect  of  more  productive.  Five  minutes'  time 
Excitement  a  day,  for  a  few  weeks  or  months, 
Upon  Fowls  w;u  make  any  ftofe  of  cnickens  tame 

and  easily  handled.  Learn  them  to  feed  out  of 
your  hands.  Even  Leghorns  and  other  "  wild  " 
breeds  of  poultry  will  become  tame  if  paid  a  little 
careful  attention.  Large  plants  often  have  to 
restrict  the  number  of  visitors  allowed  on  the 
place,  because  their  presence  in  the  houses  and 
yards,  and  the  attending  noises,  have  a  disastrous 
effect  upon  the  egg  production  of  the  hens.  Sud- 
den, jerky  movements,  loud  tones  in  the  voice, 
loud,  flaming  colors  in  the  clothing,  dogs  or  strang- 
ers running  through  the  houses  or  yards,  all  have 
a  bad  effect  upon  egg  production. 

Where  only  a  small  plot  of  grass  can  be  had,  if 
left  unprotected  it  will  soon  be  destroyed  by  the 
Making  the  hungry  fowls.  To  overcome  this  dif- 
Suppiy  of  ficulty,  I  often  covered  the  grass  with 
Grass  Constant  wjre  netting  when  I  was  keeping  poul- 
try on  a  town  lot.  By  raising  the  netting  on  boards 
or  cleats  to  the  height  of  two  or  three  inches  above 
the  ground  the  fowls  can  pick  the  grass  off  as  it 
grows  out  above  the  netting,  but  cannot  scratch  it 
out  or  destroy  the  roots.  The  best  netting  for  this 
use  is  the  one-half-inch  mesh. 

One  of  the  quickest  ways  to  make  a  hen  forget 
208 


GENERAL   INFORMATION 

her  desire  to  incubate  is  to  place  her  in  a  coop  with 
Breaking  up  a  slat  floor  which  is  raised  a  foot  or 
Broody  Hens  mOre  from  the  ground.  She  will  not 
persist  in  sitting  on  the  slats  as  she  would  the  floor 
of  an  ordinary  coop,  but  will  be  so  busy  keeping  her 
feet  on  the  slats  that  she  will  forget  her  desire  to 
sit  in  a  few  days. 

Another  very  successful  method  is  to  place  the 
female  in  a  pen  with  a  vigorous  male  bird,  who  will 
soon  get  the  sitting  fever  worked  out  of  her.  Don't 
starve  hens  while  trying  to  break  them  up.  That 
will  have  no  effect  upon  their  incubating  fever,  but 
is  the  means  of  delaying  their  return  to  laying  con- 
dition. However,  feed  them  foods  that  are  not  fat- 
tening, because  corpulent  hens  are  more  inclined  to 
broodiness  than  those  that  are  only  in  fair  flesh. 
Hens  that  receive  good  care  and  are  fed  rich  egg- 
forming  foods  while  they  are  broody  will  usually 
return  to  laying  in  a  comparatively  short  time. 

Practical  poultrymen  no  longer  believe  in  "  cod- 
dling "  fowls,  or  in  'the  efficacy  of  "  hot-house  " 
Heating  the  fowls  for  any  purpose  whatever.  As 
Poultry  House  a  natural  result  no  artificially  heated 
houses  for  mature  fowls  are  to  be  seen  on  the  prac- 
tical poultry  plants  of  to-day.  As  long  as  the  tem- 
perature of  a  poultry  house  does  not  fall  much 
below  the  freezing  point  the  inmates  will  fare  all 
right ;  this,  however,  is  about  the  minimum  temper- 
ature for  best  results.  We  make  our  fowls  scratch 

209 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

and  hunt  for  all  the  food  they  get,  and  this  keeps 
their  blood  in  good  circulation  and  their  bodies  at 
a  comfortable  temperature,  as  well  as  furnishing 
them  with  necessary  exercise. 

Much  trouble  is  often  attributed  to  the  house 
being  too  cold,  when  it  really  is  caused  by  drafts 
or  currents  of  air  striking  the  fowls,  especially 
when  they  are  on  the  roost  at  night.  See  that  the 
walls  are  perfectly  tight  and  that  there  are  no 
cracks,  crevices,  or  knotholes  through  which  the 
elements  may  blow.  Drafts  mean  trouble,  every 
time. 

A  good  start  means  a  great  deal  toward  success 
in  any  enterprise,  and  the  poultry  business  is  no 

exception.  By  starting  with  good 
A  Good  Start  f  *  ,  6  . 

stock,  good  houses  and  good  equip- 
ment, the  beginner  is  taking  advantage  of  the 
teachings  of  the  successes  and  failures  of  others, 
and  is  enabled  to  start  at  a  place  which  earlier 
poultrymen  had  to  attain  by  continued  effort  and 
often  costly  experiments ;  thus  he  saves  time  as  well 
as  money.  Saving  money  by  buying  cheap  goods 
is  false  economy  of  the  highest  type,  and  if  contin- 
ued will  lead  anywhere  rather  than  to  success. 
Many  a  beginner  in  poultry  keeping  who  has 
started  out  on  the  "  cheap-skate  "  plan,  finding 
himself  on  the  wrong  track,  has  had  to  back  out 
and  start  over  in  order  to  avoid  total  and  perma- 
nent failure. 

210 


GENERAL   INFORMATION 

Poultry  keeping  is  peculiar  in  that  it  is  made  up 
largely  of  details.  While  they  may  seem  small  and 
importance  insignificant,  each  plays  an  important 
of  "Little  part,  and  the  man  who  thinks  other- 
Things"  wjse  can  Often  tnus  account  for  his 

failure.  One  neglect  or  slip  somewhere  may  easily 
counteract  a  dozen  carefully  observed  requirements 
in  the  poultry  business.  For  instance,  a  sick  fowl 
left  with  the  flock  twelve  hours  after  the  first 
symptoms  are  noticed  may  be  the  means  of  causing 
an  epidemic  among  the  entire  flock;  foul,  stagnant 
drinking  water  often  causes  disease  as  well  as  being 
a  most  excellent  medium  for  its  spread  and  dis- 
semination; injudicious,  improper  feeding,  non- 
attention  to  lice  and  mites,  and  numerous  other 
such  "  little  "  things  usually  account  for  most  of 
the  troubles,  disappointments  and  losses  in  poultry 
keeping.  Remember  that  "it  is  the  little  things 
that  count." 

By  all  means  keep  an  accurate  account  of  your 
poultry  receipts  and  expenditures.  It  is  a  little 
The  Benefits  tedious  sometimes,  but  possesses  much 
of  an  Account  the  same  advantages  and  future  pleas- 
Book  ures  as  a  djary  Of  y0ur  own  life.  By 

keeping  a  record  of  past  experiences  one  may  profit 
by  his  mistakes  and  successes  in  future  operations, 
as  well  as  tell  "  where  he  is  at  "  financially.  Noth- 
ing elaborate  is  needed  in  the  way  of  a  poultry 
account  book;  any  ordinary  memorandum  book, 

211 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

properly  lined  and  head-lined  by  the  keeper,  will 
serve  the  purpose  quite  well;  but  regular  poultry 
account  books,  properly  printed  and  well  bound, 
can  be  secured  at  a  nominal  cost,  usually  twenty- 
five  cents.  The  items  that  should  always  be  in- 
cluded are,  number  of  birds  on  hand  at  stated 
times,  cost  of  feed  and  other  expenses,  receipts  for 
eggs  or  fowls,  daily  egg  yield,  result  of  hatches, 
and  number  of  chicks  raised. 


212 


THE   SEASONS   AS   AFFECTING 
POULTRY   KEEPING 


CHAPTER   XIV 

THE   SEASONS  AS  AFFECTING  POULTRY  KEEPING 

THE  duties  of  a  poultry  keeper  vary  with 
the  seasons — aye,  with  the  months — and 
the  wide-awake,  successful  breeder  is  the 
one  who  keeps  abreast  of  the  times  in  the  matter  of 
caring  for  his  poultry,  and  who  not  only  supplies 
the  present  daily  needs  of  his  flock,  but  also  antici- 
pates their  future  requirements  and  is  ever  on  the 
alert  to  take  advantage  of  every  opportunity  for 
supplying  them. 

Hot  weather  makes  most  people  feel  like  giving 
themselves  over  to  a  general  relaxation,  foregoing 
Summer  the  more  serious  and  strenuous  things 

Management  of  life  and  "  take  things  easy  "  for 
a  while.  So  it  is  a  common  occurrence  at  this  sea- 
son for  many  poultry  keepers  to  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  work  in  the  poultry  yard  is  an  intoler- 
able bore,  and  they  compel  their  fowls  to  endure 
many  hardships  and  neglects  at  a  time  when  they 
should  be  receiving  special  care  and  attention.  The 
more  experience  one  has  with  poultry  the  more  he 

215 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

realizes  the  importance  of  intelligent,  systematic 
care  and  management  during  the  summer  and 
autumn  months. 

The  market  man  cannot  expect  to  secure  many 
eggs  from  his  fowls  next  winter,  when  eggs  are 
selling  at  something  like  an  half-dollar  a  dozen, 
unless  he  has  his  pullets  well  developed  before  cold 
weather  sets  in  and  unless  he  gets  his  old  hens 
through  the  molt  early  and  keeps  them  in  the  best 
of  shape  all  the  time,  both  in  and  out  of  season. 
With  the  fancier  it  is  of  paramount  importance 
that  he  look  carefully  after  the  welfare  of  his  birds 
during  the  summer  and  fall  months,  else  he  cannot 
win  any  of  the  creamy  prizes  at  the  poultry  shows 
this  winter ;  for  good  size  in  the  young  birds  means 
a  great  deal  toward  successful  competition,  while 
hot  weather  and  lack  of  shade  and  protection,  to 
say  nothing  of  other  neglects  all  along  the  line, 
especially  during  the  molting  period,  will  ruin  the 
plumage  and  color  of  the  best  show  bird  ever  bred. 

As  soon  as  the  breeding  season  is  over  the  males 
and  females  should  be  separated,  and  kept  sepa- 
rated until  eggs  are  again  wanted  for  hatching. 
Hens  lay  as  well  without  males  as  with  them,  and 
infertile  eggs  keep  longer  than  the  other  kind  dur- 
ing hot  weather.  Aside  from  the  undesirability 
of  having  the  hens  constantly  nagged  by  a  cock 
bird,  both  sexes  deserve  a  rest  after  having  been 
mated  together  during  the  breeding  season,  and  if 

216 


THE    SEASONS   AS    AFFECTING   POULTRY 

they  get  it  the  result  will  be  better  fertility  in  the 
spring.  The  reason  why  so  many  aged  cock  birds 
fail  to  properly  fertilize  the  eggs  is  because  they 
have  been  "  bred  out,"  as  it  were,  by  being  kept 
constantly  with  females,  wasting  their  reproductive 
and  sexual  powers  unnecessarily  for  half  of  each 
year. 

Another  thing  that  should  be  done  as  soon  as 
the  breeding  season  is  completed  is  the  disposal  of 
all  hens  that  are  getting  too  old  to  be  profitable 
and  all  that  are  not  of  the  best  quality  from  either 
the  utility  or  fancy  standpoint.  Also  dispose  of  all 
male  birds  which  you  are  not  going  to  breed  from 
another  year;  feeding  useless  roosters  does  not 
pay,  and  the  quicker  they  are  gotten  rid  of  the 
better. 

The  drinking  water  supply  is  important.  Do 
not,  under  any  circumstances,  compel  or  allow  your 
fowls  or  chicks  to  partake  of  impure  water.  Water 
soon  becomes  stagnant  and  unfit  for  drinking  pur- 
poses in  hot  weather,  and  should  be  changed  often 
for  the  poultry.  By  all  means  keep  the  vessels  in 
a  shady  location  which  is  never  reached  by  the  sun. 
Rinse  out  the  vessels  each  time  fresh  water  is  sup- 
plied, and  scald  and  disinfect  them  every  week 
or  two. 

The  best  foods  for  summer  use  for  old  fowls 
are  those  that  are  the  least  heating  and  fattening. 
Oats  and  wheat  are  the  two  most  common  good 

217 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

warm-weather  grains.  Very  little,  if  any,  corn 
should  be  fed.  The  greatest  abuse  of  corn  and  the 
cause  of  much  of  its  adverse  criticism  lies  in  the 
failure  of  those  who  satisfactorily  feed  large  quan- 
tities of  it  during  the  winter  to  reduce  the  amount 
fed  during  warm  weather.  More  or  less  green 
food  is  essential,  and  if  available  may  well  compose 
a  large  part  of  the  fowl's  ration  during  warm 
weather,  thus  materially  lessening  feeding  expenses. 
Shade  of  some  kind  must  be  provided  for  both 
fowls  and  chicks,  so  that  during  the  warm  hours 
of  midday  they  can  find  protection  from  the  hot 
sun,  exposure  to  which  is  debilitating  and  harmful 
to  the  health,  comfort,  plumage  and  color  of  the 
bird.  While  shade  is  exceedingly  pleasing  to  fowls, 
it  cannot  be  entirely  considered  in  the  light  of  a 
luxury,  but  is  an  absolute  necessity.  Of  course 
natural  shade  from  trees  or  bushes  is  the  best,  but 
if  this  is  lacking  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  provide  arti- 
ficial shade  by  making  a  framework  and  covering 
with  old  boards  or  old  oilcloth  or  carpet,  or  any 
other  such  material.  This  can  be  set  up  on  posts 
several  feet  above  the  ground  and  left  open  on  all 
four  sides  to  permit  a  free  circulation  of  air.  It 
should  be  substantially  constructed,  so  that  it  may 
be  moved  every  few  days,  for  if  left  long  at  one 
place  the  ground  underneath  it  will  become  foul 
and  unhealthy.  The  atmosphere  inside  the  coop 
may  be  made  cool  and  fresh  on  hot  days  by  sprink- 

218 


THE    SEASONS   AS    AFFECTING    POULTRY 

ling  the  ground  with  water.  A  patch  of  sunflowers 
growing  in  the  yard  make  good  shade,  and  the 
seed  will  ripen  at  a  time  when  especially  valuable 
to  feed  to  molting  fowls.  Shrubs  or  bushes  in  the 
yards  also  make  good  shade,  while  vines  may  be 
trained  along  the  fences  or  on  frames  in  the  yards. 

Cleanliness  always  is  a  very  important  factor  in 
successful  poultry  culture,  and  needs  special  atten- 
tion during  hot  weather.  Not  only  the  fixtures,  but 
also  the  houses  and  yards  must  be  kept  free  from 
filth  and  in  a  perfectly  sanitary  condition.  The 
droppings  had  best  be  removed  each  morning,  as 
they  are  smeary  and  make  more  foul  odor  in  the 
house  during  warm  weather  than  at  any  other 
time.  The  roosting  quarters  must  be  well  venti- 
lated ;  fowls  will  thrive  better  and  be  more  health- 
ful in  warm  weather  sleeping  out  in  the  open,  on 
trees  or  fences,  than  in  a  stuffy,  ill-ventilated  and 
foul-smelling  poultry  house;  therefore,  keep  the 
doors  and  windows  open  as  much  as  possible. 

In  the  yards,  animal  and  vegetable  matter  will 
decompose  rapidly,  and  should  not  be  allowed  to 
accumulate.  Have  a  general  clean-up  of  the  prem- 
ises once  a  week,  and  burn  or  deeply  bury  all  the 
decaying  material;  don't  rake  it  up  in  a  pile  in  a 
corner  of  the  yard  and  leave  it  to  decay  and  rot, 
a  breeding  place  for  disease  and  vermin.  All  old 
litter,  nesting  material,  etc.,  should  also  be  burned 
as  soon  as  removed  from  the  house  or  coops.  Most 

219 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

of  the  "  mysterious  "  diseases  that  attack  poultry 
during  the  summer  can  be  traced  to  filth  and 
neglect  Spade  or  plow  up  the  runs  several  times 
during  the  course  of  the  summer ;  hard,  dry,  baked 
ground  is  not  the  most  desirable  kind  for  poultry  to 
range  over.  In  cases  of  disease,  sprinkle  the 
ground  with  air-slaked  lime  or  a  diluted  disin- 
fectant before  turning  under. 

August  and  September  mark  the  beginning  of 
the  molting  season — the  time  when  all  mature 
The  Molting  fowls  throw  off  their  old,  faded, 
Period  wornout  plumage  and  take  on  new. 

Usually  from  seventy-five  to  one  hundred  days 
elapse  between  the  beginning  and  the  completion 
of  the  molt.  Most  hens  lay  very  irregularly  and 
infrequently  during  the  molt,  for  it  is  drain  enough 
upon  their  vitality  to  produce  new  feathers  with- 
out producing  many  eggs.  The  early  molting  hens, 
therefore,  make  the  best  winter  layers,  because  they 
will  not  only  have  entirely  completed  the  process, 
but  will  also  have  regained  their  normal  and  full 
strength  and  vitality  before  cold  weather  sets  in. 
Hens  that  commence  molting  in  August  ought  to 
be  in  laying  shape  again  by  November  or  Decem- 
ber, and,  if  conditions  are  favorable,  should  con- 
tinue laying  until  spring.  Hens  that  do  not  com- 
mence to  molt  until  late,  say  October,  not  only 
will  not  recuperate  in  time  to  lay  many  eggs  during 
the  season  of  highest  prices,  but  may  also  suffer 

220 


THE    SEASONS   AS    AFFECTING   POULTRY 

from  the  cold  weather,  which  will  still  further 
retard  the  molt. 

Fowls  can  often  be  forced  to  commence  to  molt 
and  the  process  hastened  by  feeding  very  light  for 
a  week  or  ten  days,  and  then  feeding  heavily  on 
nutritious  food.  This  should  be  done  during  the 
latter  part  of  July  or  in  August.  Where  eggs  for 
hatching  are  the  specialty,  it  is  not  desirable  to 
have  the  hens  lay  heavily  through  the  winter,  and 
late-molting  hens  are  not  particularly  undesirable 
in  this  connection,  but  all  hens  should  be  fully 
feathered  out  by  the  time  the  weather  turns  cold, 
for  they  will  need  a  full  coat  of  feathers  for 
protection. 

While  I  cannot  agree  with  some  writers  that 
the  process  of  molting  is  a  serious  and  critical 
drain  upon  the  vitality  and  physical  powers  of  the 
fowl,  still  I  do  believe  that  it  may  easily  become 
such  under  any  other  than  the  most  proper  and 
natural  conditions.  Molting  Is  a  process  of  Na- 
ture, and  not  a  disease,  and  so  no  drugs,  stimulating 
condiments  or  tonics  are  either  necessary  or  desir- 
able. Let  Nature  have  her  own  way  and  time, 
doing  your  own  part  faithfully  and  well  in  pro- 
viding the  correct  and  natural  conditions  that  you 
should,  and  you  will  have  no  trouble  with  sickness 
or  death  among  your  fowls  on  account  of  the  molt. 

Feed  and  care  for  molting  fowls  the  same  as  at 
any  other  time,  only  remembering  that  the  weather 

221 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

is  warm,  and  therefore  the  instructions  and  sugges- 
tions given  above  on  warm-weather  management 
will  apply  during  the  greater  part  of  the  molting 
period.  An  occasional  feed  of  linseed  meal  will 
be  found  beneficial  to  molting  birds,  while  animal 
food  or  meat  in  some  form  is  essential  for  furnish- 
ing feather-forming  materials.  A  few  handfuls  of 
sunflower  seeds  every  day  or  two  will  help  to  loosen 
up  the  old  feathers  and  cause  the  new  ones  to  come 
in  smooth  and  oily.  This  is  the  only  feed  or  system 
that  the  author  uses  to  hasten  the  molt,  as  I  believe 
in  letting  Nature  pursue  her  own  course. 

The  fall  is  the  time  to  prepare  for  winter.  There 
is  much  to  do.  Broken  window  lights,  cracks  or 
Fall  knotholes  in  the  walls  or  roof  of  the 

Management  poultry  house  did  not  make  so  much 
difference  in  the  summer  time,  but  all  these,  to- 
gether with  any  similar  defects,  must  now  be  reme- 
died at  once.  Colds  and  roup  are  the  results  of 
drafts  and  dampness  during  cool  weather.  The 
poultry  house  should  always  be  thoroughly  reno- 
vated and  cleaned  out  just  before  cold  weather  sets 
in.  Remove  all  the  old  litter,  and  also  three  or  four 
inches  of  the  top  of  an  earth  floor,  and  replace  this 
with  fresh,  untainted  material.  This  is  very  desir- 
able in  keeping  the  house  fresh  and  sanitary  and 
prevents  disease  germs  from  lurking  around  from 
year  to  year.  Burn  all  the  old  nesting  material  as 
well  as  the  litter.  Take  the  roosts  and  nests  to  the 

222 


THE   SEASONS   AS    AFFECTING   POULTRY 

outside  of  the  building  and  give  them  a  good  scald- 
ing and  scrubbing  with  boiling  hot  water  to  which 
has  been  added  some  carbolic  acid.  This  will  not 
only  cleanse  them  from  dirt  and  filth,  but  will  also 
kill  vermin  and  disease  germs.  If  the  house  is  to 
be  whitewashed,  now  is  the  time  to  do  it.  Winter 
quarters  that  are  light  and  cheery  are  very  desir- 
able, and  nothing  is  better  for  producing  this  effect 
than  giving  the  interior  walls  of  the  house  a  good 
coat  of  whitewash.  It  also  has  a  sanitary  and 
antiseptic  effect. 

The  brooders  and  roosting  coops  that  were  used 
during  the  past  summer  should  now  be  thoroughly 
cleaned  and  disinfected  and  stored  away  indoors 
for  use  again  next  season.  If  left  to  stand  out  in 
the  storms  of  winter  they  will  warp  and  crack  and 
lose  much  of  their  value. 

The  trees  are  now  shedding  their  foliage,  and 
the  practical  poultry  keeper  will  find  good  use  for 
the  clean,  crisp  leaves,  and  will  store  away  as  many 
as  he  can  use  during  the  winter.  They  make  excel- 
lent bedding  for  the  poultry  house  floor  during  the 
winter,  providing  litter  for  the  fowls  to  scratch  in, 
and  also  preventing  cold  currents  of  air  from  pass- 
ing along  the  floor. 

Lay  in  a  supply  of  dirt  also  before  cold  weather 
sets  in.  This  can  be  used  to  make  dust  baths  dur- 
ing the  winter,  and  may  also  be  used  under  the 
perches.  Dirt  is  an  excellent  absorbent  and  deo- 

223 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

dorizer,  and  when  sprinkled  over  the  droppings 
boards  prevents  the  droppings  from  sticking  fast, 
and  they  may  easily  be  swept  off. 

Take  good  care  of  the  early  hatched  pullets  now 
and  they  will  take  good  care  of  your  egg  yield  this 
winter,  when  eggs  are  bringing  high  prices.  Sell 
the  cockerels,  but  hold  on  to  the  pullets  and  keep 
them  for  winter  and  spring  laying.  Don't  let  a 
paltry  fifty  cents  cause  you  to  part  with  a  well- 
developed,  likely-looking  pullet,  for  she  will  pro- 
duce a  dollar's  worth  of  eggs  for  you  this  winter. 
Push  the  young  roosters  for  broilers;  more  money 
in  them  that  way  than  any  other  way.  Don't  keep 
them  too  long;  let  them  go  when  they  weigh  two 
pounds;  a  bunch  of  useless  males  will  rapidly  eat 
up  the  profits,  and  their  development  is  usually  less 
rapid  after  they  are  three  or  four  months  old. 
Dispose  of  all  stock,  both  young  and  old,  that 
have  any  defect  or  are  not  of  the  most  desirable 
quality  from  either  the  utility  or  fancy  standpoint. 
When  cold  weather  sets  in  house  room  will  be  at  a 
premium,  and  a  small  flock  of  high  quality  will 
pay  greater  profits  than  a  crowded  flock  of  mixed 
quality. 

Cold  weather  always  means  more  work  with  the 
Cold  poultry.  The  chill  should  be  taken 

Weather  off  everything  to  be  partaken  of  by 
Management  the  fowls.  Chilling  a  fowl  by  allow- 
ing it  to  partake  of  cold  food  is  just  as  harmful,  and 

224 


THE   SEASONS   AS    AFFECTING   POULTRY 

•has  the  same  effect  as  cold  quarters.  The  water 
with  which  the  mash  is  mixed  up  should  be  suffi- 
ciently hot  to  thoroughly  warm  the  food.  Care 
should  be  taken,  however,  to  not  have  it  too  hot, 
or  injury  to  the  birds'  crops  will  result,  and 
that  would  be  worse  than  cold  food.  Lukewarm 
is  about  right.  All  grain  should  be  thoroughly 
warmed  before  feeding.  This  is  especially  true  of 
corn,  which  gets  as  cold  as  ice  during  cold  weather. 
Put  your  hand  in  a  panful  of  shelled  corn,  and 
then  imagine  the  effect  that  this  painfully-cold  stuff 
would  have  on  the  bodily  warmth  of  the  bird  that 
consumed  it.  All  the  drinking  water  should  be 
warmed.  To  be  sure,  with  ordinary  drinking  ves- 
sels it  is  impossible  to  keep  the  water  warm  for 
more  than  an  hour  or  two,  but  by  using  stoneware 
fountains  (which  retain  the  heat  longer  than  any 
other  kind)  and  supplying  fresh  warm  water  two 
or  three  times  a  day  one  can  get  along  quite  well. 

One  should  not  imagine,  however,  that  because 
he  warms  their  food  and  water  he  can  house  his 
fowls  in  any  old  place  and  still  have  good  results. 
Neither  can  one  dose  up  his  fowls  with  cayenne 
pepper,  hot  mashes,  etc.,  and  have  this  super- 
abundance of  inward  heat  make  up  for  a  lack  of 
outward  comfort. 

Variety  in  feeding  is  more  than  desirable  at  any 
time,  and  in  the  winter  time  it  is  positively  necessary 
if  maximum  results  are  to  be  secured,  for  at  this 

225 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

time  the  fowls  can  get  absolutely  no  food,  for  weeks 
at  a  time,  except  that  which  is  supplied  by  the 
attendant.  Mix  all  the  table  scraps  in  with  the 
mash  or  feed  them  separately  in  troughs;  nothing 
better  could  be  served  by  way  of  variety.  Apple 
parings  and  potato  parings  are  also  good  and 
usually  available  every  day  or  two.  Cooked  tur- 
nips and  beets  are  good,  and  so  are  pumpkins 
and  squashes;  in  fact,  almost  anything  that  the 
birds  will  relish.  I  have  all  egg  shells  crushed  and 
fed  to  our  hens,  as  they  will  supply  the  material 
with  which  to  make  more  shells,  but  we  are  care- 
ful to  see  that  they  are  broken  into  very  fine  bits, 
so  that  their  use  will  not  teach  the  fowls  the  egg- 
eating  habit. 

It  is  the  busy  hen  that  lays  the  greatest  number 
of  eggs.  I  find  that  one  of  the  best  and  most  prac- 
tical ways  to  give  chickens  interesting  work  while 
confined  to  the  house  in  winter  is  to  supply  them 
with  some  unthreshed  grain  in  the  sheaves.  Oats, 
wheat,  buckwheat,  and  millet  are  excellent,  but 
any  small  grain  that  the  fowls  like  will  do  quite 
as  well.  In  the  fall  I  always  see  that  we  get  stored 
away  enough  unthreshed  grain  to  enable  us  to 
supply  one  or  two  bundles  to  every  twenty  or  thirty 
of  our  hens  each  day  that  the  weather  is  such  that 
the  fowls  are  kept  confined  to  the  house. 

What  to  do  when  it  snows  or  rains  is  a  perplex- 
ing problem  to  many  beginners  in  poultry  culture. 

226 


THE   SEASONS   AS    AFFECTING   POULTRY 

There  is  no  objection  whatever  to  letting  fowls 
out  when  there  is  snow  on  the  ground;  if  the  day 
How  to  *s  pleasant  tne  invigorating  oxygen  the 

Manage  in       fowls  will  take  into  their  lungs  will  do 

Disagreeable  them  a  great  deal  of  good,  and,  though 
Weather 


or  chilly,  this  does  them  no  harm  if  they  are 
afterwards  allowed  to  dry  and  warm  themselves 
by  scratching  in  clean  litter.  No  harm  can  come 
from  the  fowls  eating  snow,  but  they  should  always 
have  pure  water  to  drink,  even  though  at  times 
they  seem  to  prefer  snow  when  they  can  get  it. 

Fowls  usually  exhibit  a  marked  desire  to  be  out- 
doors during,  or  shortly  after,  a  rain;  this  is  be- 
cause at  this  time  they  can  pick  up  many  worms 
and  other  such  delicacies  to  fowl  life  which  have 
been  washed  out  by  the  rain.  As  soon  as  the 
shower  is  over  let  the  fowls  out,  but  while  it  is  in 
progress  it  is  best  to  keep  them  confined  to  the 
house,  as  they  of  ten.  become  so  interested  in  rang- 
ing that  they  will  stay  out  during  quite  a  heavy 
rainfall,  and  if  they  get  their  feathers  and  bodies 
thoroughly  water-soaked  it  creates  a  damp,  un- 
healthful  condition  when  they  go  on  the  roost,  and 
colds,  or  roup,  and  rheumatism  may  develop. 

During  windstorms,  or  hail  and  sleet,  the  fowls 
seldom  venture  out,  as  instinct  teaches  them  that 
they  are  safer  indoors;  however,  at  such  times  the 
fowl  exits  may  well  be  closed,  not  so  much  to  keep 

227 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

the  fowls  confined  as  to  prevent  the  elements  from 
blowing  into  the  house.  Except  under  the  condi- 
tions stated  above,  there  is,  ordinarily,  no  necessity 
for  keeping  the  fowls  confined  to  the  house  on  ac- 
count of  the  weather;  let  them  be  outdoors  as  much 
as  possible,  and  they  will  be  all  the  better  for  it. 

I  never  force  our  breeding  hens  for  heavy  egg 
production  during  the  winter.  Hens  must  have  a 
Winter  rest  occasionally,  the  same  as  all  other 

Management  beings,  and  we  allow  our  breeders  to 
take  theirs  when  they  prefer  it,  which  is  during  the 
cold  weather  of  winter  time.  Then  in  the  spring, 
when  we  want  eggs  for  hatching  purposes,  the 
hens  are  shelling  them  out  at  a  lively  rate,  and  with 
their  stored-up  strength  and  vitality  the  eggs  are 
bound  to  be  strongly  fertile  and  hatch  good,  livable 
chicks.  What  we  want  in  the  breeding  pen  is  not 
only  eggs,  but  also  good,  strong  chicks  from  the 
eggs.  Where  the  object  is  eggs  for  market,  of 
course  we  want  all  the  eggs  we  can  get  in  the  win- 
ter, as  they  bring  in  the  market  two  or  three  times 
as  much  at  this  time  as  in  the  spring  or  summer. 

Chickens  are  usually  early  risers,  and  to  keep 
them  occupied  between  the  time  when  they  come 
off  the  roost  and  when  the  attendant  can  get  around 
with  their  breakfast,  it  often  is  a  good  plan  to 
throw  a  few  handfuls  of  small  grains  in  the  litter 
in  the  evening  after  the  fowls  have  gone  to  roost. 
Immediately  upon  arising  they  will  commence  dig- 

228 


THE    SEASONS   AS    AFFECTING    POULTRY 

ging  around  in  the  straw,  and  this  starts  up  the 
circulation  of  the  blood  and  keeps  them  from 
moping  around  and  becoming  chilled. 

When  the  night  is  going  to  be  extremely  cold, 
corn  makes  an  elegant  evening  feed  for  the  fowls. 
When  it  is  thoroughly  warmed,  the  fowls  relish  it 
more  than  any  other  grain  that  could  be  fed,  and  a 
crop  full  of  warm  corn  is  a  comfortable  thing  for  a 
hen  to  go  to  bed  with  on  a  cold  night,  as  the  grain 
by  nature  is  heating  and  will  help  the  hen  to  main- 
tain her  bodily  warmth  during  the  night.  Once  a 
week  put  some  shelled  corn  in  a  pan  and  char  it  in 
the  oven,  and  let  this  compose  a  large  part  of  your 
fowls1  supper ;  it  helps  in  varying  the  diet,  and  the 
charring  produces  a  tonic  effect. 

Mangel  wurzels  are  one  of  the  best,  or  quite 
the  best,  vegetable  food  that  can  be  given  to  fowls 
during  the  winter.  Cabbage  is  excellent,  but  fowls 
relish  it  somewhat  less  than  mangolds,  and,  besides, 
a  continued  diet  of  cabbage  or  onions  will  invari- 
ably impart  a  disagreeable  flavor  to  the  eggs  laid 
by  the  fowls  to  which  they  were  fed,  while  mangel 
wurzels  never  have  this  effect.  They  are  easily 
kept  in  any  root  house  or  cellar  where  there  is 
no  danger  of  freezing.  When  fed,  suspend  them 
in  the  air  so  that  the  birds  will  have  to  jump  a  few 
inches  to  reach  them.  This  may  be  accomplished 
by  sticking  them  on  nails  in  the  walls  of  the  house. 

Any  seedsman  can  supply  you  with  mangel  wur- 
229 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

zel  seed,  and  they  are  easily  grown.  Also  try 
growing  a  little  rape  or  some  Swiss  chard  for  your 
poultry  if  you  have  the  room. 

With  the  approach  of  spring,  give  the  fowls  the 
advantage  of  all  the  sunshine  and  fresh  air  possi- 
Spring-time  ble.  A  few  balmy  spring  days  have  a 
Management  wonderful  tonic  effect  upon  a  flock  of 
hens  that  have  been  persistently  living  "  the  simple 
life  "  and  producing  few  eggs  during  the  winter; 
their  faces  and  combs  will  begin  to  redden,  they 
will  begin  to  cackle  and  "  sing,"  and  if  they  are 
given  a  little  judicious  care  and  management  at 
this  time  you  will  soon  be  enjoying  "  the  lay  of  the 
hen."  Remember  that  fowls  that  are  laying  well 
require  more  food  than  those  that  are  forming  no 
product.  In  the  spring,  a  hen  will  often  "  lay  her- 
self poor,"  as  it  were,  on  a  ration  that  would  be 
ample  were  she  not  laying  regularly. 

The  man  who  is  not  well  fixed  for  the  business 
should  attempt  neither  very  early  nor  very  late- 
The  Best  hatched  chicks.  Early  chicks  fetch 
Months  for  the  high  prices,  but  are  hard  to  raise 
Hatching  during  bad  weather.  Late  chicks  are 
weakened  by  the  hot  summer's  sun,  and  lice  are 
most  bothersome  in  the  summer;  besides,  the  mar- 
ket is  flooded  with  both  old  and  young  stock  at  this 
time,  and  prices  are  decidedly  unprofitable.  My 
advice  to  the  unprofessional  poultry  keeper  would 
be  to  hatch  no  more  chicks  after  the  middle  of 

230 


THE   SEASONS   AS    AFFECTING   POULTRY 

June  than  he  wants  for  his  own  table.  Chicks 
hatched  the  latter  part  of  August  or  in  September 
often  are  better  property  than  July  hatched  chicks. 
However,  in  case  of  an  early  winter  they  require 
extra  care  and  even  then  their  development  is  slow. 

April  and  May  are  the  two  most  favorable 
months  for  hatching  in  America,  and  at  this  time 
the  eggs  usually  hatch  better  and  the  chicks  thrive 
better  than  at  any  other  time,  either  earlier  or 
later.  Pullets  hatched  during  April  make  the  best 
winter  layers  of  the  medium-sized  or  large  breeds, 
while  the  smaller  breeds  (such  as  the  Leghorns) 
may  be  hatched  during  May  and  still  be  sufficiently 
matured  to  commence  laying  in  November  or 
December.  The  idea  should  be  to  get  out  your 
pullets  in  plenty  of  time  so  they  will  be  pretty  well 
matured  and  ready  to  commence  laying  when  win- 
ter arrives,  for,  if  they  are  still  undeveloped  at  this 
time,  cold  weather  usually  causes  a  postponement 
of  laying  activities  until  the  season  of  highest  prices 
is  past. 

Hatching  for  Broilers.  Earliness  is  one  of  the 
most  important  factors  in  producing  broilers  with 
profit.  The  January  and  February  hatched  chicks 
are  the  ones  that  bring  the  big  prices  as  broilers. 
For  the  greatest  profit,  commence  hatching  as 
early  in  the  New  Year  as  possible,  if  you  are  pre- 
pared to  handle  the  chicks,  no  matter  how  cold 
or  disagreeable  the  weather  may  be. 

231 


PARASITES   AND    DISEASES   OF 
POULTRY 


CHAPTER    XV 

PARASITES   AND   DISEASES    OF   POULTRY 

MANY  poor  egg  records  and  unthrifty  and 
unprofitable  flocks  in  the  hands  of  begin- 
ners can  be  explained  by  the  presence  of 
lice  and  mites  on  the  fowls.  Fowls  are  scarcely 
ever  wholly  free  from  vermin,  and  while  in  small 
The  Parasites  numbers  they  do  little  damage,  they 
of  Poultry  are  rapid  multipliers,  and  unless  their 
multiplication  is  periodically  checked  they  will  be- 
come so  numerous  that  in  a  short  time  they  are 
liable  to  get  the  poultry  keeper  into  serious  straits. 
A  man  may  start  in  the  poultry  business  with 
everything  new  and*  clean,  but  it  is  only  a  short 
time  until  the  pests  are  there.  Much  needless 
trouble  is  often  caused  to  beginners  by  vermin, 
because  they  cannot  find  any  lice,  or  at  least  not 
enough  to  lead  them  to  believe  there  is  anything 
important  at  stake.  The  beginner  should  remem- 
ber that  every  adult  fowl  is  more  or  less  lousy,  and 
should  not  flatter  himself  that  his  fowls  are  free 
from  them.  It  is  a  good  rule  to  treat  every  fowl 

235 


AMERICAN    POULTRY   CULTURE 

with  suspicion  and  examine  it  carefully  for  lice,  as 
they  are  almost  certain  to  be  present  in  force  when 
least  suspected. 

When  the  beginner  finds  his  houses  or  fowls  so 
badly  infested  with  vermin  that  the  trouble  is  easily 
apparent,  he  will  find  he  has  more  of  them  on  his 
hands  than  he  can  well  realize  until  he  finds  how 
hard  they  are  to  exterminate.  The  fowls  them- 
selves and  the  roosts  and  nests  are  the  leading 
habitations  of  the  pests,  and  these  should  come  in 
for  first  attention.  In  bad  cases  the  vermin  spread 
to  the  walls,  ceiling  and  other  parts  and  fixtures 
of  the  house.  During  the  summer  time  is  when 
lice  are  the  most  troublesome,  because  warm 
weather  is  more  favorable  for  their  rapid  increase. 

While  there  are  quite  a  number  of  different 
kinds  of  lice  and  mites  which  prey  on  domestic 
fowls,  they  may,  with  chickens,  for  all  practical 
and  elementary  purposes,  be  divided  into  two  main 
classes — (i)  body  lice,  which  stay  on  the  fowl 
nearly  or  quite  all  the  time,  and  may  be  detected 
traveling  around  over  the  skin,  especially  on  the 
neck  or  under  the  wings,  or  nestling  among  the 
fluffy  feathers  around  the  vent;  and  (2)  the  red 
mites  or  lice  which  infest  the  poultry  house  fixtures, 
hiding  in  cracks  and  crannies  during  the  day  and 
coming  forth  after  night  to  seek  their  prey. 

I  am  a  strong  believer  in  the  efficacy  of  the  dust 
bath  as  a  means  of  ridding  the  fowl's  body  of 

236 


PARASITES    AND    DISEASES    OF    POULTRY 

vermin.  The  hens  wallow  and  fluff  their  feathers 
in  the  dust,  and  the  pores  in  the  louse's  body, 

through  which  it  breathes,  are  closed 
Body  Lice  .     ,  i          r 

thereby,  and  death  takes  place  from 

suffocation.  The  dust  bath  also  is  valuable  for 
cleansing  the  fowl's  body  from  dirt  and  impuri- 
ties; it  provides  much  healthful  exercise  for  the 
fowls,  and  they  get  a  great  deal  of  enjoyment  and 
pleasure  out  of  the  bath  in  addition  to  the  practical 
benefits.  The  finer  the  dust  the  better.  Road  dust 
is  excellent,  but  no  better  than  any  other  kind  of 
dust  or  dirt  that  has  been  made  very  fine  and  free 
from  clods  and  pebbles.  In  the  summer,  each  flock 
should  have  access  to  several  places  in  the  yards, 
each  two  or  three  feet  square,  which  have  been 
spaded  up  and  made  quite  fine.  In  the  winter, 
boxes  should  be  provided  in  the  house.  Observe 
this  requirement,  as  it  is  important. 

While  dust  baths,  used  constantly  and  continu- 
ously, will  often  prevent  lice  from  getting  a  start, 
yet  once  the  pests  become  numerous,  a  quicker  and 
more  effective  way  of  fighting  them  must  be 
adopted.  There  are  many  brands  of  louse  powder 
on  the  market;  most  of  them  are  all  right,  but 
some  are  not.  Use  nothing  but  a  well-advertised 
and  approved  brand,  and  even  then  closely  watch 
the  results,  to  make  sure  that  the  powder  is  doing 
the  work.  Where  a  large  number  of  fowls  are  to 
be  treated,  it  is  a  tedious,  unpleasant  task  to  dust 

237 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

each  one  separately,  but  this  is  the  most  certain 
way  of  exterminating  the  pests,  and  so  it  is  always 
good  policy.  Dipping  the  fowls  in  a  solution  of 
"  sheep  dip  "  to  kill  the  lice  is  a  method  quite 
satisfactory  on  warm,  sunny  days  when  the  fowls' 
plumage  will  quickly  dry,  but  it  should  not  be 
attempted  under  other  conditions  of  the  weather  or 
the  fowls  will  catch  colds. 

To  dust  a  fowl  thoroughly,  hold  it  by  the  legs 
with  the  head  downward  in  an  empty  barrel  or 
narrow  box.  This  causes  the  feathers  to  separate 
and  open  out  so  that  they  will  readily  receive  the 
louse  powder,  which  should  be  dusted  in  among 
them  from  a  dredging  box  or  tin  can  having  one 
end  perforated  with  small  holes.  After  being 
applied  to  the  feathers  from  the  can,  the  powder 
should  be  thoroughly  worked  in  among  them  and 
down  to  the  skin  with  the  hands;  it  is  at  the  base 
of  the  feathers  where  the  pests  are,  and  not  out 
close  to  the  surface.  Pay  special  attention  to  the 
rear  parts  and  under  the  vent,  where  the  fowl  is 
covered  with  fluffy  feathers,  and  under  the  wings 
and  thighs  and  about  the  neck  and  head. 

Little  chicks  are  often  bothered  with  the  large 
head  lice.  These  may  be  killed  by  greasing  the 
head  and  throat  with  lard  or  sweet  oil.  If  the 
chicks  are  lousy  at  other  parts  of  their  bodies,  use  a 
reliable  brand  of  louse  powder.  In  young  chickens 
lice  cause  dumpishness,  drooping  wings,  indiffer- 

238 


PARASITES    AND    DISEASES    OF    POULTRY 

ence  to  food,  and,  if  present  in  large  numbers,  may 
stunt  or  kill  the  chick,  owing  to  the  loss  of  life- 
blood  caused  by  the  sucking  parasites.  Artificially 
hatched  and  raised  chicks  do  not  require  so  much 
attention  for  lice  and  mites  as  chicks  hatched  and 
raised  by  a  hen,  because  the  latter  will  contract  the 
lice  from  their  mother;  but  even  brooder  chicks 
are  seldom  free  from  lice,  especially  after  the 
first  few  weeks,  and  so  they,  too,  require  attention. 

Sitting  hens  are  especially  liable  to  be  excessively 
lousy,  because  the  conditions  of  heat  and  quiet  in 
the  nest  are  exceedingly  favorable  to  the  breeding 
and  increase  of  the  pests.  If  sitting  hens  hatched 
as  many  chicks  as  they  do  lice  and  mites  there 
would  be  little  use  for  incubators.  Individual  dust- 
ing with  insect  powder  is  necessary  here. 

The  tiny,  blood-sucking  mites  are  white  or  gray- 
ish in  color,  except  when  filled  with  blood,  when 
they  vary  from  red  to  black.  These 

Mites  -11  i 

pests  are  terrible  stayers  and  cause 
more  damage  and  are  harder  to  exterminate  than 
the  body  louse.  Especially  watch  for  them  around 
cracks  or  crevices  in  the  roosts,  nests  and  droppings 
boards.  While  the  mites  themselves  can  usually 
be  seen,  a  plain  indication  of  their  presence  is  their 
excrement — little  grayish  patches,  like  fly  specks, 
on  the  roosts  and  adjacent  parts  which  they  trav- 
erse. When  you  see  these  specks  you  may  know 
with  certainty  that  the  mites  are  there.  Liberal 

239 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

applications  of  common  kerosene  oil  will  kill  them, 
painting  or  spraying  this  material  on  every  spot 
where  the  vermin  could  possibly  find  lodgment. 
This  is  the  commonest  and  cheapest  method  and 
it  is  efficient,  although  the  patent  liquid  lice-killing 
preparations  offer  probably  the  safest  and  surest 
method  of  extermination,  as  the  fumes  from  these 
preparations  are  fatal,  as  well  as  the  liquid  itself. 
But  it  is  a  question  as  to  whether  the  difference 
in  results  is  equivalent  to  the  difference  in  cost. 
Chloro-naphtholeum  and  sulpho-naphthol  in  water 
are  both  very  excellent  liquid  exterminators,  and 
are  not  expensive.  Where  liquids  are  used  they 
may  be  applied  with  a  small  spray  pump,  or  painted 
with  a  brush  or  with  a  broom,  as  is  most  convenient. 
Whitewash  will  kill  all  lice  with  which  it  comes  in 
contact 

If  treatment  is  begun  immediately  upon  the  dis- 
covery of  lice  and  mites,  they  may  be  practically 
exterminated  with  a  few  treatments.  Promptness 
is  important,  as  much  on  account  of  the  loss  of 
vitality  to  the  fowls  and  profit  to  the  owner  as 
because  of  the  greater  difficulty  in  getting  rid  of 
the  pests  when  their  numbers  have  greatly  in- 
creased. With  prompt  and  thorough  treatment 
whenever  signs  of  vermin  are  observed,  there  is 
no  need  for  regular  weekly,  or  even  monthly,  appli- 
cations to  prevent  their  increase.  Several  months 
may  be  allowed  between  each  fight  of  extermina- 

240 


PARASITES    AND    DISEASES    OF    POULTRY 

tion,  although  greater  energy  will  be  required  dur- 
ing warm  weather  than  in  the  winter.  When  fowls 
are  dusted  or  fixtures  are  treated,  it  is  always  well 
to  repeat  the  operation  in  a  short  time,  as  many  of 
the  parasites  will  be  so  well  concealed  and  secreted 
that  they  will  not  be  reached  by  the  first  treatment, 
and  also  there  will  more  have  been  hatched  out  in 
a  few  days.  The  interval  for  dusting  with  powder 
may  be  a  week  or  ten  days,  and  for  liquid  applica- 
tions three  to  five  days.  Two  thorough  treatments 
close  together  as  suggested  ought  to,  ordinarily, 
last  at  least  two  months  in  the  summer  time  and 
longer  in  the  winter. 

COMBATING  POULTRY  DISEASES 

The  author  has  not  much  faith  in  poultry  doc- 
toring. Fowls  are  naturally  healthy,  and  disease 
is  nearly  always  the  result  of  neglect  or  carelessness 
and  unsanitary  conditions.  Fowls  that  are  well- 
housed,  get  plenty  of  exercise  in  pure  air  and  sun- 
shine, good  wholesome  food  and  pure  water,  rarely 
need  doctoring.  It  may  seem  like  a  heartless  thing 
to  say  and  do,  yet  the  fact  remains  that  it  usually 
is  better  to  kill  a  sick  chicken  and  put  an  end  to  its 
misery  than  to  try  to  effect  a  cure,  unless  the  bird  is 
a  very  valuable  one  or  the  disease  is  only  some  local 
disorder  or  is  not  of  a  serious  nature.  In  the  latter 
event,  where  it  is  not  deemed  wise  to  lose  the  fowl 

241 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

without  an  effort,  it  should  be  quickly  removed  to 
a  considerable  distance  from  the  main  flock  and 
steps  immediately  taken  to  bring  about  its  recovery. 
Always  have  an  isolated  hospital  for  sick  birds, 
whether  this  be  a  separate  pen  or  a  dry  goods  box. 
Never  leave  an  ailing  fowl  with  the  flock  a  minute 
after  the  symptoms  of  disease  are  discovered. 

If  a  sick  bird  is  killed  by  cutting  the  head  off, 
do  it  where  the  other  fowls  cannot  get  at  the 
blood,  or  the  disease  will  surely  spread;  it  is  bet- 
ter to  kill  the  fowl  by  wringing  its  neck.  Birds 
that  are  killed  should  always  be  burned;  if  merely 
buried  in  the  ground  the  disease  germs  may  be 
carried  back  into  the  flock  by  earth  worms  or  other 
parasites.  All  excrement  from  the  ailing  bird 
should  also  be  burned  or  deeply  buried  in  the 
ground. 

Whether  fowls  are  killed  or  isolated,  a  general 
cleaning  up  of  the  premises  should  immediately 
follow  the  outbreak  of  a  germ  disease  or  con- 
tagious disease.  Burn  the  litter  and  disinfect 
everything  around  the  house  and  yard.  Spray  the 
interior  of  the  house  and  the  runs  with  a  fifty  per 
cent,  solution  of  crude  carbolic  acid  or  some  other 
good  disinfectant,  put  a  few  drops  of  the  same 
preparation  in  the  drinking  water,  dust  air-slaked 
lime  over  and  under  the  perches,  in  the  nest  boxes 
and  over  the  floor.  Then  watch  the  remainder  of 
the  flock,  and  if  any  of  them  show  the  slightest 

242 


PARASITES    AND    DISEASES    OF    POULTRY 

symptoms  of  disease  remove  at  once  to  some  iso- 
lated place,  feed  very  lightly  on  mostly  green  food, 
administer  a  remedy,  and  be  guided  further  by 
the  persistency  of  the  attack.  Medicines  and  drugs 
prepared  for  human  beings  can  often  be  used  to 
advantage  for  fowls,  as  the  effect  is  much  the  same, 
but  the  dose  should,  of  course,  be  lessened  for 
fowls. 

Roup  is  one  of  the  most  contagious  and  destruc- 
tive diseases  among  fowls,  and  is  especially  preva- 
lent  in  the  fall  and  winter  months.  It 
is  a  contagious  catarrhal  disease,  char- 
acterized by  running  at  the  eyes  and  nostrils,  puffed 
eyes,  and  swollen  head;  later,  mouth  and  throat 
become  filled  with  foul-smelling  mucous,  or  some- 
times cheesy  matter.  The  disease  is  caused  by  its 
own  special  germ,  but  the  predisposing  causes  are 
usually  dampness  or  drafts,  while  crowding,  filth, 
and  almost  any  neglect  or  mismanagement  may 
also  be  a  factor.  Colds  and  catarrhal  disorders 
often  develop  into  roup  if  neglected.  Diphtheria 
or  diphtheritic  roup  is  similar  to  ordinary  roup, 
but  perhaps  a  little  worse. 

Roup  is  a  very  difficult  disease  to  cure,  and  per- 
haps the  easiest  and  most  reliable  way  is  to  use  one 
of  the  advertised  roup  cures.  With  this  disease,  in 
addition  to  isolating  all  afflicted  birds,  establish  a 
.quarantine  for  all  suspects.  If  a  patent  roup  cure 
is  administered,  use  peroxide  of  hydrogen  once  a 

243 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

day;  if  nothing  else  is  used,  give  two  treatments 
with  the  hydrogen  peroxide  daily,  forcing  it  well 
back  in  the  throat  with  a  small  syringe,  medicine 
dropper,  or  swab.  Wash  the  mouth  and  nostrils 
once  or  twice  a  day  with  a  solution  of  boric  acid, 
fifteen  grains  to  an  ounce  of  water.  If  the  eyes 
are  closed  or  smeared  with  a  sticky  fluid,  bathe 
them  with  salt  water,  a  half  teaspoonful  of  salt 
in  a  pint  of  water.  Another  good  head  lotion  is 
composed  of  one  part  spirits  of  turpentine  to  six 
parts  glycerine.  Apply  with  a  bit  of  absorbent 
cotton  twisted  about  the  end  of  a  toothpick,  or  use 
the  end  of  a  stiff  feather. 

Roup  is  often  accompanied  by  a  form  of  canker 
in  the  mouth  and  throat,  although  this  trouble  may 

and  often  does  appear  on  a  bird  that 
Canker  .  ,  mi       «• 

has  not  the  roup.    The  disease  comes 

in  the  form  of  small  whitish  or  yellowish  ulcers,  or 
a  larger  cheesy  growth  on  the  roof  of  the  mouth, 
the  side  of  the  tongue,  or  the  angles  of  the  jaw,  and 
sometimes  at  the  opening  of  the  windpipe.  Burnt 
alum  applied  to  the  canker  will  often  effect  a  cure, 
or  a  little  aristol  may  be  applied  to  each  sore  place. 
Spray  the  throat  well  each  day  with  peroxide  of 
hydrogen.  A  bad  form  of  the  disease  is  usually 
fatal,  but  if  taken  in  time  a  cure  may  be  effected 
without  serious  difficulty. 

During  cold,  stormy  winter  weather,  even  fowls 
having  the  best  of  care  and  management  some- 

244 


PARASITES    AND    DISEASES    OF    POULTRY 

times  contract  simple  colds.  The  symptoms  are 
sneezing,  bubbles  in  the  corners  of  the  eyes,  water 
Common  running  out  of  the  nostrils  and  eyes, 
Colds  and  accompanied  by  more  or  less  cough- 
Bronchitis  jng  and  sneezing.  There  is  no  odor  to 
the  discharge  or  in  the  throat  and  mouth,  as  in 
roup.  If  there  is  an  odor,  the  disease  is  roup,  and 
not  a  mere  cold.  Common  causes  are  undue  ex- 
posure to  stormy  weather,  overcrowded  sleeping 
quarters,  drafts,  improperly  ventilated  and  damp 
quarters,  and  houses  which  have  been  closed  too 
tightly  early  in  the  season  making  the  fowls  ten- 
der during  very  cold  weather. 

A  common  cold  often  develops  into  bronchitis, 
which  is  merely  a  bad  cold  accompanied  by  rattling 
in  the  throat,  or  it  may  be  caused  by  dusty  or  filthy 
houses,  in  which  the  fowls  are  compelled  to  breathe 
irritating  vapors  or  dust. 

These  diseases  should  receive  prompt  attention, 
or  they  will  develop  into  some  more  serious  disease, 
such  as  roup.  They  a're  not  difficult  to  control  if 
taken  early.  Remove  the  cause  if  possible,  air  the 
house  daily,  and  do  not  allow  the  birds  to  be 
exposed  to  cold  winds  or  rains.  A  good  remedy 
for  colds  is  twenty  drops  of  spirits  of  camphor 
dropped  on  sugar  and  then  dissolved  in  a  pint  of 
drinking  water,  no  other  drink  being  allowed  the 
fowls.  For  bronchitis,  give  the  bird  three  drops 
of  syrup  of  ipecac  twice  a  day,  and  force  it  to 

245 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

inhale  the  steam  from  boiling  water  in  which  has 
been  placed  a  teaspoonful  of  carbolic  acid  to  a 
quart  of  water. 

Genuine  fowl  cholera  is  comparatively  rare; 
simple  indigestion  and  bowel  disorders  are  often 
Indigestion  termed  cholera.  With  true  cholera, 
and  Cholera  diarrhoea  is  always  present  and  is  one 
of  the  main  symptoms.  Improper  food,  filthy 
quarters  and  general  mismanagement  are  always 
at  the  bottom  of  an  attack  of  cholera  and  of 
all  other  bowel  disorders.  In  general,  among 
beginners,  derangements  of  the  fowls'  digestive 
organs  are  more  common  where  mashes  are  fed 
than  where  the  dry-feed  system  is  employed. 
The  free  use  of  a  good  disinfectant  is  very 
essential  in  cases  of  these  diseases.  There  are 
on  the  market  many  poultry  remedies  especially 
for  cholera  and  bowel  disorders.  One  of  the  best 
home  remedies  is  one  dram  of  hydrochloric  acid  in 
a  quart  of  water,  keeping  all  other  water  away 
from  the  fowls.  The  fowls  in  the  flock  that  are 
apparently  well  should  be  fed  liberal  quantities  of 
charcoal  as  a  corrector,  or  may  be  given  sulpho- 
carbolate  of  zinc  in  the  drinking  water,  one-eighth 
of  an  ounce  of  the  drug  to  a  quart  of  water. 

For  mild  diarrhoea,  charcoal  will  often  be  as 
efficient  as  anything  required,  giving  boiled  milk 
to  drink  and  dry  food.  Constipation  is  usually 
caused  by  lack  of  exercise  and  of  green  food.  Cor- 

246 


PARASITES    AND    DISEASES    OF    POULTRY 

rect  conditions,  and  give  castor  oil,  castoria,  or  any 
other  convenient  laxative. 

The  disease  known  as  "  bumble-foot "  comes  in 
the  form  of  an  abcess  or  a  little  growth  resem- 
Bumble-  bling  a  corn  on  the  bottom  of  the 

foot  fowl's  foot,  and  is  usually  caused  by 

jars  and  bruises  to  the  foot  in  jumping  from 
high  perches  or  other  objects  and  alighting  on 
some  hard  substance.  Occasional  causes  are  con- 
stant confinement  upon  hard  floors  or  runs  and 
extremely  narrow  perches.  If  taken  early,  a  few 
applications  of  tincture  of  iodine  twice  a  week 
will  generally  effect  a  cure,  keeping  the  foot  ban- 
daged during  treatment.  If  the  growth  is  well 
developed  or  the  bird  shows  signs  of  lameness, 
open  the  growth  by  making  an  X-shaped  incision 
with  a  sharp  knife;  wash  out  all  matter  with  warm 
water  containing  a  little  carbolic  acid  or  any  good 
disinfectant ;  bathe  the  wound  daily  with  hydrogen 
peroxide,  and  apply  some  healing  lotion,  such  as 
carbolic  salve.  Bandage  the  wound  with  cotton, 
and  keep  the  fowl  confined  until  the  wound  heals. 

This  disease  is  caused  by  a  minute  parasite  which 
burrows  beneath  the  scales  of  the  leg,  forcing  them 
out  and  giving  the  shanks  a  rough, 
crusty  appearance.  One  of  the  best 
ways  to  cure  the  disease  is  to  make  a  saturate  solu- 
tion of  naphthalene  flakes  in  kerosene  (coal  oil), 
and  dip  the  fowl's  legs  in  this  solution  several 

247 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

times,  at  intervals  of  one  or  two  days,  until  the 
crusts  are  all  easily  removed.  Rub  the  liquid  well 
in  among  the  crusts  and  scales  by  means  of  a  hard 
bristle  brush.  Four  to  six  applications  will  cure 
an  ordinary  case,  but  some  take  longer  than  others. 
The  treatment  suggested  never  fails  if  performed 
faithfully. 

"  Gapes  "  is  a  parasitic  disease  caused  by  the 
presence  of  worms  in  the  windpipes  of  young  chick- 
ens.  Where  these  worms  come  from 
and  get  their  original  start  among  a 
flock  of  chicks,  has  never  been  definitely  settled, 
although  several  theories  have  been  advanced.  The 
most  popular  theory  is  that  the  primary  cause  of 
gapes  is  often  the  eating  of  angle  (earth)  worms, 
or  other  such  organisms,  of  which  the  gape-worm, 
so  called,  is  a  parasite ;  although  in  many  localities 
these  worms  do  not  affect  the  chicks.  Letting  the 
chicks  out  in  the  damp  or  wet,  or  before  the  dew  is 
off  the  grass  in  the  morning,  is  known  to  help 
maintain  the  disease  if  not  to  produce  it. 

After  the  gape-worm  is  introduced  into  a  flock, 
infection  is  easy  and  rapid,  as  well  chicks  often  eat 
the  worms  coughed  up  by  the  afflicted  ones,  or  may 
get  the  eggs  or  the  worms  themselves  in  the  food 
or  drinking  water.  The  symptoms  of  gapes  are 
frequent  gaping,  sneezing,  and  later  a  whistling 
cough  with  discharge  of  mucus  and  worms,  dump- 
ishness,  weakness  and  drooping  wings. 

248 


PARASITES    AND    DISEASES    OF    POULTRY 

Isolate  all  afflicted  birds;  give  the  coops  a 
thorough  application  of  hot  whitewash,  sprinkle 
the  runs  well  with  air  slaked  lime  and  plow  under ; 
this  is  a  good  preventive  measure  to  take  in  the 
chick  yards  every  spring,  as  one  can  never  be  quite 
sure  that  gapes  will  not  attack  his  chicks  sooner  or 
later.  Scald  all  drinking  vessels  frequently,  burn 
all  chicks  which  die  with  the  disease,  and  whenever 
you  find  gape-worms  or  extract  them  from  sick 
chickens  be  sure  to  burn  the  worms. 

There  are  many  different  treatments  advised, 
and  none  is  thoroughly  dependable  in  every  case. 
A  safe  course  for  the  beginner  to  pursue  is  to 
use  one  of  the  prepared  gape  cures  on  the  market, 
which  come  in  powder  form  and  may  be  used  in  the 
soft  food  or  drinking  water.  Extracting  the 
worms  from  the  windpipe  with  a  horse  hair  or 
special  gape-worm  extractor  often  gives  quick  tem- 
porary relief,  but  it  is  a  tedious  and  more  or  less 
uncertain  task.  A  small  quantity  of  spirits  of 
camphor  in  the  drinking  water  is  often  beneficial. 
A  common  method  is  that  of  dipping  a  feather  in 
turpentine  and  insert  it  in  the  windpipe  of  the 
chick  and  twist  it  around  a  few  times;  this  causes 
the  chick  to  cough  and  sneeze,  and  some  of  the 
worms  are  expelled.  In  cases  of  long  standing  it 
is  often  impossible  to  effect  a  cure.  People  who 
are  bothered  with  gapes  among  their  chickens  year 
after  year,  should  give  their  ground  a  rest  from 

249 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

chickens  for  a  year  or  two,  frequently  treating  the 
soil  with  applications  of  slaked  lime  and  a  strong 
solution  of  salt  water. 

Diarrhoea  among  chicks,  or  as  it  is  often  termed, 
"  pasting  up  behind/'  may  result  from  many  causes. 
Diarrhoea  Sometimes  it  is  due  to  breeding  from 
Among  debilitated  stock.  At  other  times 

Chicks  errors  in  incubation,  on  account  of 

which  the  chicks  are  not  hatched  properly,  are  the 
cause  of  the  trouble.  After  the  chicks  are  hatched 
the  disorder  may  be  brought  on  by  chilling, 
improper  brooder  temperature,  or  by  improper 
feeding  and  general  mismanagement.  Find  the 
cause  of  the  trouble  and  remove  it  if  possible. 
Mild  attacks  may  often  be  cured  by  withholding 
water  and  giving  boiled  milk  to  drink  to  which 
some  grated  cinnamon  has  been  added.  Feed  char- 
coal freely.  If  the  trouble  is  very  bad  and  preva- 
lent, medicine  is  necessary  to  correct  it.  Use  some 
reliable  bowel  regulator  for  either  fowls  or 
humans. 

Tuberculosis,  consumption,  and  "  going  light " 
are  used  synonymously  with  regard  to  the  poultry 
Miscellaneous  disease  which  afflicts  both  old  and 
Diseases  young  fowls  and  causes,  loss  of  flesh, 

listlessness  and  rapid  emaciation  generally.  The 
comb  becomes  pale  or  even  yellowish  in  color.  The 
only  effective  treatment  is  preventive. 

Break  Down  Behind.  If  simply  due  to  over- 
250 


PARASITES    AND    DISEASES    OF    POULTRY 

fatness,  this  disorder  may  be  remedied  by  putting 
the  hen  on  a  light  diet,  composed  mainly  of  green 
stuff.  If  the  disorder  is  due  to  some  derangement 
of  the  oviduct,  it  is  generally  incurable. 

Liver  Diseases  usually  commence  on  account  of 
overfeeding  or  insufficient  exercise.  Congestion 
of  the  liver  is  the  first  stage,  and  this  may  usually 
be  cured  by  using  some  good  liver  pill.  Inflamma- 
tion of  the  liver  is  the  next  and  final  stage,  as  it 
seldom  yields  to  treatment.  The  symptoms  are 
loss  of  appetite,  yellow  diarrhoea,  extreme  thirsti- 
ness,  slow  and  labored  breathing,  and  general 
listlessness. 

Leg  Weakness  is  a  common  ailment  among 
the  young  chicks  of  novices.  It  comes  from  over- 
feeding, too  much  forcing,  insufficient  exercise,  too 
close  confinement,  or  lack  of  bone-forming  material 
in  the  food.  The  bird's  gait  is  unsteady,  the  hocks 
appear  weak  and  wobbly,  and  the  bird  desires  to 
sit  a  great  part  of  the  time.  Feed  less  heating  or 
forcing  food,  discontinue  wet  mashes  and  instead 
feed  dry  grains  scattered  in  litter,  making  the 
chicks  scratch  for  all  they  get. 

Soft-shelled  Eggs  are  nearly  always  caused  by 
overfatness  among  the  hens,  or  by  a  ration  deficient 
in  lime  and  shell-forming  materials.  Correct  con- 
ditions, supplying  crushed  oyster  shells  and  feed- 
ing freely  of  bran  and  clover,  both  of  which  are 
rich  in  lime.  Occasionally  a  hen  will  lay  a  soft- 

251 


AMERICAN  POULTRY  CULTURE 

shelled  egg  or  drop  several  eggs  at  one  time  (in 
different  stages  of  development)  because  she  is 
unable  to  retain  the  egg  until  it  is  fully  developed. 
A  hen  in  general  good  condition  recovers  quickly 
from  such  a  mishap  (miscarriage)  if  placed  by 
herself  for  a  few  days  and  fed  lightly  and  mostly 
on  green  stuff. 

Double  eggs  may  be  laid  by  an  overfat  hen,  or 
they  may  be  due  to  the  occasional  outcropping  of 
an  hereditary  tendency  to  produce  twins. 

Egg-eating  is  a  bad  habit,  which  is  the  result  of 
overcrowding,  lack  of  exercise,  lack  of  animal  food 
in  the  ration,  or  the  use  of  nests  open  to  the  light. 
This  habit  is  difficult  to  cure  after  it  has  been  well 
learned,  and  often  the  hatchet  is  the  safest  and 
best  remedy.  Otherwise,  correct  the  conditions 
mentioned  above  and  allow  the  hens  to  partake 
of  a  few  eggs  well  treated  with  cayenne  pepper. 

Feather  Pulling  is  another  bad  habit,  which  re- 
sults from  overcrowding  and  insufficient  exercise, 
or  a  ration  deficient  in  meat  or  animal  matter. 
Kill  the  hens  that  are  the  most  persistent  at  it. 
Feed  large  quantities  of  meat  and  green  food  and 
give  a  little  salt  each  day. 

Frosted  Comb  or  Wattles.  Frost  bite  is  deter- 
mined by  stiffness  and  purple  color  of  the  frozen 
parts,  which  later  change  to  black  color  and  finally 
may  drop  off.  Thaw  them  out  gradually  with 
snow  or  cold  water,  and  apply  several  times  a  day 

252 


PARASITES    AND    DISEASES    OF    POULTRY 

an  ointment  composed  of  vaseline  five  parts,  gly- 
cerine two  parts,  spirits  of  turpentine  one  part. 

Broken  Bone.  Unless  extremely  valuable,  a 
fowl  having  a  broken  leg  or  wing  may  best  be  used 
on  the  table.  Sometimes,  however,  the  bone  may 
be  adjusted  and  held  in  place  by  splints  made  of 
a  shingle  or  other  thin  board,  keeping  the  fowl 
confined  until  the  bones  knit  together. 

General  Remedies.  For  general  lack  of  thrift 
or  partial  loss  of  appetite,  tincture  of  iron  in  the 
drinking  water  often  has  a  desirable  tonic  effect. 

For  all  germ  diseases,  permanganate  of  potash 
is  excellent.  When  the  fowl  waters  at  the  eyes 
or  nostrils,  bathe  its  head  freely  with  warm  water 
colored  a  deep  red  with  the  permanganate.  In 
case  of  any  germ  disorder  of  the  throat  or  bowels, 
color  the  drinking  water  a  light  red  with  the 
permanganate.  If  the  fowl  refuses  to  drink, 
pour  a  few  drops  of  a  comparatively  strong  solu- 
tion down  its  throat. 


253 


Nomenclature  Diagram  of  Fowl 


0  Beak 

1  Comb 

2  Face 

3  Wattles 

4  Ear-lobe 

5  Hackle 
o  Breast 

7  Back 

8  Saddle 

9  Saddle  feathers 

10  Sickles 

1 1  Lesser  Sickles 

12  Tail-coverts 

1313,  Main  tail  feathers 


14  Wing-bow 

15  Wing-coverts,  forming  wing 

bar 

1 6  Secondary  wing  feathers 

17  Primaries,  or  flight  feathers 

1 8  Flight-coverts 

19  Point  of  breast  bone 

19  20  20,  Body  and  fluff 

20  20,   Fluff 

21  Thigh 

22  22,  Knee-joints 

23  23,  Shanks 

24  Spur 

25  25,  Toes,  or  claws 


254 


255 


PUt/orm 


GROUND    PLAN 


PLAN  FDR  CONTINUOUS  POULTRY  HOUSE 


256 


MIAMI    VALLEY 

POULTRY  AND  PET  STOCK  ASSOCIATION 

February  3-8, 1908 

.....Exhibitor 


Entry 


Coop. 


wr.7-.'/#:. 

SHAP> 

COLOB 

COMDI'N 

EXHIBIT 

ion  Psa 

Typical  Carriage 

.'.£_ 

yo.  

-.  . 

Weight  ..._.. 
Court)...  

15 



• 

Beak  ...._»»  

..-...:_*. 

A 

9 

Eyes  





-^ 

^\ 

Head  





-..-A. 

% 

Crest  and  Beard 



w 

Wat.  and  Lobe... 



........... 

0v^: 

Neck  J 

:£. 

..ir.^ 

1 

Wing  _.,_.. 

.....  — 

t/i% 

.Jfe. 

Back    „„„..  

•  ' 
............ 

'%^-/ 

S? 

• 

j 

Tall 

•*  /  '*' 

* 

^ 

I 

Breast  _^.™ 

V- 

,    ^ 

^ 

^           j 

Body  and  Fluff... 

~..i 

I 

Legs  and  Feet  ... 

1 

t 

.§ 

'                    1 

Hordtn'aotP  

f; 

^ 

Defects 


SECRETARY 


T.  N.  Ctnpbell  Score  Card.  Darlingioo.  lad. 
Style  of  score  card  generally  used  in  poultry  shows 

(See  over,  for  reverse  side  of  same  ticket) 

257 


WEIGHTS 


Disqualifying  Wright  Li  mil 

Cock 

Ckl. 

Hen 

Pollti 

6 

514 
6 
5 

Light  Brahma  .v_.^  '.V 

9 
9 
-'9 
9 

7& 
7H 
7 
7 

?ys- 

7 

7 
6 

Darfc       "        ,  ...,^.  ,: 
All  Cochins  _  „  t  

Lnng.shans....  i  „. 

Standard  Weights 

Cock 

Ckl. 

Hen 

Pullet 

Light  Brahma...  

12 

10 

9J4 

8 

Dark  Brahma  and  Cochins 
Except*....,  

11 

9 

8H 

7 

Langhans.!  „  

10 

8 

7 

6 

Javas  and  all  P.  Rocks  

94 

8 

7H 

6H 

All  Wyandottes..  •  -.  

ft* 

7M 

6K 

5V4 

American  Dominique  
Rhode  Island  Reds 

-8 

:'V, 

*9 
7H 
8 

7 
7Vi 
8 
6H 
7 

6 
0^4 
6 
6 
6* 

5 
5 
5 

5 

5V, 

Buckejes  '  '."  ..„  • 

White  Dorkings 

S.  G.          -        .-..^.^M.  , 

Colored     •••        ,  ..,,...i3t.......  .. 

9 

8 

7 

6 

Minorca*  S.  C.  Blk  »...t.......v.-r..... 

9 

iy* 

7K« 

6>,i 

S  C  .  White  and  R.  C.  | 
Blk.  and  W.  F.  Blk  Spanish  » 

A'.idalusians         ...1'     „      . 

3 
6 

7* 

6* 
6 
6 

6H 
5 
6 

514 
4 
6 

Ued  Caps...........  ._..........  

All  Orpingtons  „..,  i..........  -...,' 
Houdans  .*.  ,  .-  _,-..... 

10 
<%7 

8 

8V4 
6 
.7 

8 
6 

7 

7 
5 
0 

Crevecoeur  „  — 

Cornish  and  Whi.  I.  Games  .. 

.9 

7H 

6« 

554 

B.  B.  R.  Malays  „  

9 
8K 

7 

7M 

7 
7H 

6 

6H 

Disqualifying  Weight  Limit.  Bantams 

Cock 

34  oz. 

Ckl. 

Ben 

Pullet 

28  oz. 

Brahma  and  Cochin  Bantams  

30  oz. 

30  oz. 

Other  Bantams  except  Game  

30  oz. 

26  oz. 

26  oz. 

24  oz. 

Sun'ard  Weight  Bantams  ' 

Cock 

Ckl. 

Sen 

Pullet 
24  oz. 

Brahma  and  Cochin  Bantams.,... 

30  oz. 

26  oz 

26  oz 

All  others  except  Game  ...«  

26  oz. 

22pz 

22  oz 

20  oz. 

•Black  Cochin  Cock  10H  pounas. 


Reverse  side  of  ticket  shown  on  the  other 
side  of  this  sheet 

258 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Account  Book,  Advantages  of 
an,  an 

Alfalfa  and  Clover  for  Poul- 
try, 135 

American  Standard  of  Perfec- 
tion, 187 

American  Class,  the,  82 

American  Dominiques,  87 

Anconas,  93 

Andalusians,  93 

Animal  Foods,  139 

Artificial  Methods  of  Hatching, 
Merits  of,  71 

Asiatic  Class,  the,  88 

Attractive  Poultry  Houses,  35 

B 

Balanced  Rations,  122 

Bantam  Class,  the,  98 

Beans  and  Peas,  138 

Beef  Scraps,  134 

Black  Spanish  Fowls,  94 

Body  Lice,  237 

Brahmas,  Light  and  Dark,  88 

Breaking  Up  Broody  Hens,  209 

Break-down  Behind,  250 

Breeders,  the  Best  Age  for,  198 


Breed,  Selecting  a,  103 

Breeds,  Which  Are  Best?  104 

Broken  Bone,  253 

Brood   Coops,   163 

Brooders,  Best  Temperature  for, 

161 
Brooders,    Construction    and 

Operation  of,  76 
Buckeye  Fowls,  87 
Buckwheat,  137 
Bumble-Foot,  247 


Capons,  174 

Canker,  244 

Charcoal,  141 

Cheap  Poultry  Houses,  36 

Chicks,     What     and     How     to 

Feed,  154 

Chicks,  General  Care  of,  159 
Chicks,  Weaning  the,  169 
Chicks,  Housing  the,  170 
Chicks,  Teaching  to  Roost,  172 
Chicks,  Feeding  when  Partially 

Matured,   173 
Cholera,  246 
Cleaning  the  House,  206 
Clubs     and     Organizations     for 

Poultrymen,  188 


26l 


INDEX 


Cochins,  89 

Cold  Weather  Management,  224 
Colds  and  Bronchitis,  245 
Corn,   136 
Cornish  Fowls,  97 
Condiments,  the  Use  of,  176 
Cost  of  Feeding  a  Hen,  6 
Culling,  the  Benefits  of,  197 

D 

Diarrhoea  Among  Chicks,  250 
Disagreeable   Weather,   How   to 

Manage  In,  227 
Disease,  How  to  Combat,  241 
Diseases,  Miscellaneous,  250 
Double  Eggs,  252 
Double  Yarding,  46 
Drinking  Vessels,  66 
Drinking  Water,  the  Supply  of, 

144 
Droppings  Boards,  62 

E 

Egg  Eating,  252 

Eggs  for  Hatching,  203 

Egg  Yield,  What  is  a  Good,  201 

Exhibiting,  Hints  on,  189 

English   Class,   95 

Equipment,  Miscellaneous,  68 

Excitement,  Effect  of,  on  Fowls, 

208 
Exercise,  Benefits  of,  126 


Family  Flock,  Feeding,  4 
Family  Flock,  Housing,  5 
Family  Flock,  Size  Required,  6 
Fall  Management,  222 
Fanciers,  the  Field  for,  181 
Fancy  Poultry  Business,  the  Im- 
portance of,  182 
Fancy,    Getting  a   Start   in  the, 

184 

Fancy,  the  Profits  in  the,  185 
Feather-pulling,  252 
Feed,  Quantity  Required,  119 
Feeds,    Prepared   Poultry,    127 
Feeding,    Different    Methods   of, 

128 

Feeding,   Frequency  of,    120 
Feeding,   How  to  Acquire   Skill 

in,  120 
Feeding,    Supplying    Natural 

Conditions  in,  134 
Feeding,  Variety  in,  125 
Feeding,  from  Hoppers,  129 
Fences,  Construction  of,  50 
Floors,  21 
Females  to  One  Male,  Number 

of,  198 

Food  Stuffs,  Composition  of,  121 
Food  Values,  124 
Foundations  for  Houses,  20 
Free  Range,  45 
French  Class,  the,  95 
Frosted  Comb  or  Wattles,  252 


Family  Flock,  the,  3 

Family  Flock,  Does  it  Pay?  3 


Game  Class,  the,  97 

Gapes,  248 

Genesis  of  the  Fowl,  184 


262 


INDEX 


Grain  Feed,  Improving  Pala- 
tability  of,  141 

Grains,  Miscellaneous,  137 

Grass,  Making  the  Supply  Con- 
stant, 208 

Green  Cut  Bone,  134 

Green  Foods,  139 

Grit,  140 


H 

Hamburgs,  92 

Hatching  for  Broilers,  231 

Hatching,  the  Best  Months  for, 
230 

Hatching  Time,  What  to  do  at, 
152 

Hatching  With  Hens,  149 

Healthy  Stock  a  Prime  Requi- 
site, 195 

Heating  the  House,  209 

Henery  Outfits,  63 

Hoppers,  Construction  of,  65 

Houdans,  95 

House  Room,  How  Much  per 
Fowl,  206 

Houses,  Colony,  34 

Houses,  Continuous,  33 

Houses,  Scratching  Shed,  33 

Houses,  General  Construction  of, 

38 

Houses,  Different  Types  of,  19 
House,  Determining  the  Type 

of»   33 

House  No.  i,  Description  of,  36 
House  No.  2,  Description  of,  37 
House  No.  3,  Description  of,  37 


Inbreeding,  200 
Incubators,  Instructions  for 

Operating,  74 
Indigestion,  246 


Java  Fowls,  87 
Judging,    190 

K 
Kaffir  Corn,  137 


Langshans,  89 

Laying  Hens,  Profitable  Age  for, 

201 

Leg  Bands,  202 
Leghorns,  90 
Leg  Weakness,  251 
Little  Things,  Importance  of,  211 
Liver  Diseases,  251 

M 

Male  Breeders,  How  Long  to 
Retain,  199 

Market  Poultry  Keeping,  Differ- 
ent Branches  of,  13 

Marking  Chicks,  205 

Mash,  Best  Time  to  Feed,  132 

Mash,  Composition  of  the,  133 

Mashes,  Use  of,  131 

Mating  the  Breeding  Pen,  197 

Mating  to  Produce  Prize-win- 
ners, 187 


263 


INDEX 


Mediterranean  Class,  the,  90 

Millet  Seed  for  Poultry,  137 

Minorcas,  91 

Mites,  239 

Molting  Period,  the,  220 

N 

Nest  Eggs,   61 
Nesting  Material,  60 
Nests,  59 


Oats,  137 
Orpingtons,  96 
Oyster  Shells,  141 


Parasites  of  Poultry,  235 
Passageways  in  Houses,  40 
Plymouth  Rocks,  Barred,  83 
Plymouth     Rocks,     White,     Buff 

and  Columbian,  84 
Polish  Fowls,  94 
Poultry  as  a  Side-line,  10 
Poultry  for  the   Country   Home, 

13 
Poultry-keeping  for  Women ;  for 

Invalids,  n 

Poultry-keeping  as  a  Business,  6 
Profits  from  Poultry  as  a  Busi- 
ness, 8 


Rhode  Island  Reds,  86 

Roofs,  23 

Roosts,  57 

Roosting  Coop,  40 

Roosting  Coop  for  Chicks  After 

Weaning,  42 
Roosting  Quarters,  26 
Roup,  243 
Rye,  138 

S 

Sanitation  of  Yards,  50 

Scaly  Leg,  247 

Sexes,  Separating  the,  171 

Shade  in  the  Runs,  52 

Shelters  for  Chicks,  165 

Site  for  the  Poultry  House,  47 

Soft-shelled  Eggs,  251 

Specializing,  the  Advantages  of, 

107 

Spring-time  Management,  230 
Sprouted  Grains,  142 
Standard  Breeds,  Why  Best,  108 
Start,  a  Good,  210 
Starting  with  Pure  Breeds,  Best 

Ways  of,  109 

Starting  by  Buying  Stock,  no 
Starting  by  Buying  Eggs,  112 
Starting  by  Buying  Day-old 

Chicks,  114 

Success,  How  to  Achieve,  14 
Summer  Management,  215 
Sunflower  Seeds,  138 


Rats,  How  to  Combat,  22 
Rice,  138 


Testing  the  Eggs,  204 
Trap-nests,  61 


264 


INDEX 

Trees,  etc.,  for  Shade,  52  Windows,  25 

Tuberculosis,  250  Winter  Management,  228 

Wyandottes,    White,    Buff    and 
V  Silver-laced,  85 

Wyandottes,    Golden-laced,    Sil- 
Varieties  of  Fowl,  Classification          ver-penciled,  Partridge,  Black 

of  the»  8l  and  Columbian,  86 

Ventilating  the  House,  27 

Y 
W 

Walls,  23  Yard    Room,   the   Least   Advis- 

Wheat,  136  able,  48 

Width  of  Houses,  36  Yarding  Poultry,  46 


265 


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